


Smoke and Ink

by thesassywallflower



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Eventual Smut, F/M, Highschool AU, but only for a little while, marvel AU, young loki, young thor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:42:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21729244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesassywallflower/pseuds/thesassywallflower
Summary: While their boys are still young, the Odinsons are forced out of their homeland by a group of their enemies. They take refuge in America where the Odinsons befriend a local family. Loki grows especially close with the daughter of the family. As he grows up, Loki is drawn more and more to the dark side of magic. But as the old saying goes "All dark magic comes at a price" and that price is more dear anyone could have expected.
Relationships: Loki/Original Female Character, Thor/Jane Foster
Comments: 18
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be starting a new more than likely multi chapter slow burn fic when I already have a multi chapter slow burn fic that I've neglected shamefully? Prooobably not. Am I doing it anyway? Eeeerm...yes.

_Maine, Present Day_

_RAP! RAP! RAP!_

The sharp knock on her front door startled Anne at her drawing table, the pen in her hand scrawling across the unicorn rump she’d just finished outlining. She groaned in frustration. She’d spent the last two hours on it and now it was ruined. But… She squinted at the scribble and tilted her head. Maybe she could transform it into a beauty mark à la Rainbow Dash... 

_RAP! RAP! RAP!_

“All right, all right!” She shoved her glasses up onto the top of her head and slid off the high back drafting stool, wincing slightly at the twinge in her hip and knee as her feet hit the ground. Once again she’d been sitting too long without getting up to stretch out her limb. Her leg was going to give her hell in the morning. “Hold onto your panties!” 

The lanky Siamese mix lounging on the couch arm _“Meowrrred”_ in protest as the person outside pounded on the door again. Meanwhile, Morty the Mutt slowly thumped his massive tail on the maple wood floor from his usual spot in front of the fireplace.

“I know, Phil! Who could possibly be here at-” she pulled her phone out of her jean’s pocket, “10:30?!” Immediately her stomach dropped. The only thing that would be at the door at this time of night, and a rain-drenched one at that, was bad news. 

Stomping over to her door, she peered through the peephole and was met with the sight of- _a chest?!_

Oh no…

There was only one person on earth that she knew who could tower over a peephole like that. Throwing the locks aside, she yanked open the door. “Thor!”

A blonde giant beamed down at her. “God kveld, my friend. It’s been far too long. How are you?”

“You lumbering idiot!” She threw her arms around him, as he crushed her to his chest, the familiar scent of petrichor and citrus bringing an unexpected prick of tears to her eyes. With her parents on a long extended vacation, and her brother away in a war torn land, she’d been feeling so lonely lately. A hug from one of her favorite people was just the bit of balm for the soul that she needed. “You scared the crap out of me! I thought for sure I’d see a couple of MP’s here to tell me that something horrible had happened to my brother in Afghanistan, but instead, here you are!” 

She playfully punched his massive bicep as she pulled away. “Why are you here? Is Jane okay? And Baby Claire?”

“My bride and babe are well,” Thor chuckled gently while raising his eyebrows inquisitively, raindrops sliding down his jaw. “May-may I come in? I’d rather tell you the reason for my visit where it’s a bit drier, if you don’t mind?”

“Oh lord, where are my manners? You’re soaking wet! Yes, please come inside! Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? I still have a bottle of that Asgardian brandy you were passing out at the hospital after Claire’s birth.”

“Water will be just fine.”

Anne turned towards the kitchen and waved Thor over towards the couch. “Make yourself at home! And feel free to push Phil aside. He’s a couch hog, but he’ll move if you make him.”

In all honesty, Anne took her sweet time getting Thor his water. Simply because she desperately needed a few extra seconds to get her heart under control. To tamp down the fear and dread that swept over her at the sight of him standing dripping wet on her front porch. He was the last person she would’ve expected to see tonight. Not that she didn’t love a surprise visit from a friend, but it had only been a month or so since her last visit down to see his little family in Salem. 

Why was he here? He’d already reassured her that her best friend and the baby were fine. Besides, Jane would’ve called her right away if something had been wrong. Leaning her forehead against the refrigerator, she finally allowed herself to face what deep down she already knew. There could only be one possible reason he was here. Pain lanced through her. Only one possible reason he wouldn’t have bothered calling her to let her know he was coming. And that reason was a person. A person who’d broken both their hearts, but whom neither of them would ever completely stop loving…

***

_August 1997_  
 _Evergreen, Maine_

“Barbara honey? My boss just called. He and his wife are bringing their boys with them to dinner now. Could you please get out two more plates?”

“Sure, mom.” The earnest faced ginger sitting at the kitchen island glanced up from her sketchpad. “But remember? It’s Anne, Anne. You promised you would try to not call me Barbara anymore.” 

To her credit, Eleanor Chambers didn’t even roll her eyes at her twelve year old daughter’s admonition. “Right. Anne. Sorry, sweetie.”

“It’s okay.” The round freckled face immediately brightened as a dimpled grin creased her cheeks. “At least tonight I’ll meet four new people who’ll only know me as Anne. Hey! Maybe they’ll think I’m named after Anne Shirley!”

Anne hopped around the massive island that anchored the kitchen, ginger ponytail swinging behind her, and pulled two plates out of the cupboard to add to the stack sitting on the granite counter.Eleanor smiled and muttered, _“Anne, Anne, Anne”_ under her breath as she stirred the baked beans simmering on the stove top. 

As Anne opened the oak cupboard and took out two cornflower blue plates, she rethought the little lecture she’d just given her mom, a prick of guilt tightening her chest. It wasn’t like she didn’t appreciate the reason behind her full name. It was just- a sigh escaped her. She was so tired of her classmates bellowing out that stupid Beach Boys song whenever it was her turn at kickball during P.E. class for the last six years. Or worse, calling her Barbie Doll or Grandma Barb. Enough was enough. So this summer, she’d decided it was time to start going by her middle name: Anne. Her brother and Dad switched from one name to the other without a problem. After all, they’d both been calling her Annie since the day her parents brought her home from the hospital. But her mom? Not so much. Barbara had been her great-grandmother’s name. The one who’d raised Eleanor after her under-aged mother abandoned her to chase her dreams of becoming a dancer on Broadway. Her grandmother had been the one to wipe her tears, cheer her on at every band concert and support her through college. Not her own mother. Her grandma Barb had been both parent and grandparent rolled into one.

Anne winced. She probably should go easier on her mom. Maybe she would tell her it would be okay to call her Barbara at home…

The doorbell chimed, and they both glanced up. “They’re here!” Eleanor nervously smoothed her apron before calling out, “Tyler, honey? Will you please get the door and take our guests around to the backyard? Bar-Anne and I will be out in just a few seconds.”

“Got it!” The thunder of her brother’s oversized sneakers down the burgundy carpeted stairs and across the living room made them both grin. But all too soon, lines of worry creased her mom’s forehead once again. 

It was so weird to see her normally unflappable mother nearly vibrating with anxiety. Weird and wrong. And it was all because of one stupid man. Earlier this month, old Doc Harrison, the man who’d previously owned the clinic where her parents worked, up and decided to retire completely out of the blue. He claimed that he was doing it because he couldn’t take the stress anymore. Which was absolute crap because everyone in town knew that her parents and the other staff had been carrying his patient load for ages. He literally only showed up because he liked the status of being, as he loved calling himself, “Doctor in Chief”. 

The real reason he was retiring had to be that someone offered him a boat load of money and bought him out. And that someone was currently standing in their backyard. This same someone now had the power to turn out the old staff and bring in all new people. Which is why her mom had invited the new boss over for dinner, so they could try to win him over and thereby keep everyone’s jobs. 

Anne hurried to her mother’s side and gave her a hug, “Don’t be nervous, Mom. It’s gonna be okay. Your boss is going to love you and dad. How could he not? Besides, the entire town would riot if their favorite nurse and pediatrician were kicked out of the clinic.”

“Thanks, honey. For all our sakes, I sure hope he likes us.” Pulling the apron over her head and squaring her shoulders, Eleanor quipped, “besides, aren’t Norwegians supposed to be the happiest people on earth? That means they have to like everyone.”

“I think that’s the Danes, mom, and isn’t your boss from Asgard not Norway?”

“Whatever, Miss Smarty Pants. They’re all neighbors. That’s close enough, right? Okay, it’s showtime.”

Eleanor poured the beans into a bowl while Anne grabbed the stack of plates, and together they headed out onto the back deck of the old grey Cape Cod house and got their first look at their guests. A man and woman stood with their backs to the door while two boys leaned against the deck railing. Her dad caught sight of them and relief instantly crossed Rob Chambers’s broad face. He was almost as nervous as mom about this dinner. “Girls! Come meet our guests and the new owners of Evergreen Health!”

At his words, the couple turned towards them. Anne had never seen a more interesting couple. The man was tall, almost as tall as her dad. He was dressed like a stereotypical English professor, complete with a tweed jacket and leather elbow patches. But, completely at odds with the stuffy professor look, he had nearly shoulder length silver hair and of all things, an eye patch. And not just any eye patch, this one almost looked like it was made out of burnished bronze. 

The woman was tall as well, just an inch or so shorter than her husband. Her lithe figure was draped in a robin egg blue sundress and the laces of golden espadrilles criss-crossed her long, slender legs. Wide gold cuff bracelets encircled her wrists and a massive pair of earrings dripped from each ear. Her honey brown hair was braided into an intricate coronet of braids atop her head. Elegance and refinement literally radiated off her. Anne’s first instinct was to cower in awe at this magnificent creature, but something in her twinkling aquamarine eyes made Anne smile shyly in response. 

“Dr. Chambers! It’s so good to finally meet you!” The man hurried over to her mom and enthusiastically shook her hand. “Your husband was just telling us all about the interesting case of pertussis you had yesterday.”

“Eleanor, honey,” Rob gestured to the man. “This is Dr. Alfred Odinson, his wife Frigga and their boys, Thor and Loki.” The boys both turned towards them and said their hellos. The older of the two looked like he belonged on the cover of one of those battered old Ikea catalogues in the clinic’s magazine rack. Tall, athletic, blonde, and blue eyed. You could literally feel pent up energy rolling off him in waves. Anne would’ve bet her favorite set of colored pencils that he was probably a crazy good rugby or lacrosse player or something back in Asgard.

The smaller of the two could not have been more different from his brother. He looked to be about Anne’s age. Except for the forest green bandana tied around one slender wrist, and despite the late summer heat he was covered from head to toe in all black. Shaggy jet black hair fell into jade eyes, sharply contrasting with his pale skin. The look in those piercing eyes was so guarded that she couldn’t tell if he was disgusted with the world in general or simply shy. She spied the battered edges of a paperback book peeking out from a back pocket of his jeans, and her inner bookworm instantly perked up. In spite of his standoffish behavior, there was something about Loki that intrigued her. Anne was just about to ask him what he was reading when her dad’s next words shut her up completely.

“Dr. Odinson was just telling me that Frigga is a nurse as well.” Anne caught the tense look that passed between her parents. Uh oh. If Dr. Odinson’s wife was a nurse than most likely one of the three nurses currently on staff would be out of a job.

“Oh. Oh! Well, isn’t that great! The world can never have too many good nurses. It’s nice to meet you, Dr. Odinson and Mrs. Odinson,” Eleanor chirped as she greeted both adults with a firm handshake. “You’ve obviously already met my husband and son, but this is our daughter Anne.” 

Anne almost hugged her mom right in front of everyone just for remembering to call her the right name. Dr. Odinson politely greeted her and shook her hand just like she was one of the adults. Mrs. Odinson shook her hand with a delighted smile, and then just as Anne was pulling her hand away, Frigga pulled it back and turned it over. “Are you an artist, my dear?”

“How-how did you know that?” Anne gasped.

“Maybe...maybe I'm psychic. Maybe I can read it in your lifeline, ” Frigga winked mysteriously. 

As she stared at her gape mouthed, out of the corner of her eye Anne caught sight of the shorter of the Odinson boys rolling his eyes. “Mom. Stop.” Loki muttered, embarrassment turning the tips of his ears pink. Hearing his voice for the first time made the heart under her purple overalls bib skip half a beat. Umm...what was that? A bout of shyness of her own crept up on her, as she tucked the stray strands of hair hanging over her cheek behind her ear and shifted her feet uncomfortably. Why was she acting this way over the sound of some boy’s voice? Sure, it sounded almost like her cat Gremlin’s purr, but still...

“Or maybe because my youngest son is an old stick in the mud with no imagination, I recognize those ink stains on your fingers from my own artist days.” A teasing grin split Frigga’s face, making her already beautiful face even more stunning. With that, Anne’s resentment towards this woman melted away. Someone who seemed like such a kindred spirit certainly wouldn’t steal her dad’s job, right?

She gasped, enthusiasm and curiosity chasing away her nerves for a moment. “You’re an artist, too?!” 

“I was a long time ago. Oh, I wasn’t very good, but I did love it. I still do in fact. But unfortunately, taking care of ungrateful wretches like MY SONS-” She tossed a loving grin and wink towards her boys, “doesn’t leave me with much free time to paint.”

“I can show you my drawings if you want! I have a whole portfolio full of them!” Anne turned eagerly towards the house as a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.

“Honey, let’s wait until after dinner for show and tell, okay?” Rob said. “Dinner’s ready, and I’m sure our guests are hungry.”

Anne’s face dropped, but she quickly perked up when Mrs. Odinson bent down and whispered so that only she could hear. “Make sure to show me them before I leave. I’m dying to see a fellow artist’s work.”

The two families sat down at the massive picnic table center stage of the redwood deck. Her parents had gone all out preparing an all American/New England barbeque, including clam boil, beans, and blueberry pie. Dinner was actually much nicer than she’d been expecting. Honestly, she’d been expecting the meal to be all stiff and tense, but Dr. and Mrs. Odinson honestly seemed to be interested in learning about their new employees and their family. During the meal, Anne learned that Thor was 14 and heading into his freshman year of high school while Loki was 12 and would be in 7th grade with her. As dinner progressed, the lines in her mom’s forehead and dad’s tense shoulders eased. Thor, the oldest son, eagerly participated in the conversation, but Loki stayed mostly quiet, only speaking when asked a direct question. The rest of the time, he simply watched his fellow diners or kept his eyes on his plate. 

After dinner, the adults shooed the kids away from the table and into the yard as another bottle of wine was brought out. Anne darted inside to grab her sketchbook. She really wanted to see what Mrs. Odinson thought of her most recent drawing, but as she started to make her way towards the adults, her mom shook her head and mouthed “Later” at her. She huffed to herself and stopped just short of stomping down the deck steps and joined the boys where they were leaning against their old swing set.

As she approached them, she overheard Thor ask her brother, “Your father is a nurse?”

Both Anne and her brother instantly bristled, knowing exactly what kind of comment was coming next. They’d had to defend their dad’s profession multiple times. Anne took a deep breath but Tyler beat her to barking out, “Yeah?! So what? Guys can be nurses too, ya know. There’s nothing wrong with it!”

“Whoa, whoa, I meant no disrespect to your father.” Thor held up his hands. “Back in our country, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman if one decides to become a nurse. ‘Tis an honorable profession. Just as much as a doctor. More so in some cases.” 

“Sorry, man,” Tyler muttered, chest deflating. “Here in America, some idiots like to make fun of guys who are nurses. Our dad wasn’t always a nurse. He actually started out as a dentist but said it bored him to death. So when I was still a baby, he went back to school to get his RN.”

“Medicine wasn’t our parents’ first profession either! In Asgard, they were- OUCH.” Suddenly, Thor was yelping in pain and clutching his forearm. Anne was sure she was imagining it, but she could’ve sworn she saw Loki swiftly shoving a small knife back into his boot top. 

“Uh...you okay, man?” Tyler asked, confusion at Thor’s sudden screech furrowing his brow.

“What?! Oh! Yes, I think a-a wasp just stung me. It’s nothing. I was just saying that originally, our parents were in-uh-local government. Medicine came later for them, too.”

“Ooookay…” Tyler raised a doubtful eyebrow at him, but decided it wasn’t worth pursuing. “That’s interesting... Anyways, do you guys want to play some football or something?”

“Oh no, not me! Tyler, you know I’m the worst at sports ball stuff.” Anne shook her head vigorously.

“Fine. Thor?”

“Yes!” He cried out. “I’ve been looking forward to learning how to play American football and baseball and-and basketball. In Asgard we’ll occasionally get broadcasts for your sporting events, but not as often as I’d like.”

“Cool, man. I’ll teach you. How about you, Lok-” Tyler trailed off. “Where did he go? I coulda swore he was right here.”

“Loki isn’t the fondest of sports unless it involves knives. He probably wandered off and found a tree to read under.” With that, the two older boys trotted off to find a football and meandered around to the front yard. Anne rolled her eyes. The Anderson twins must be practicing their cheer routine in their yard again. Why else would Tyler take Thor out front when there was way more room back here?

Deciding to find a tree herself and tucking her sketchpad under her arm, Anne ambled to the very edge of the yard. There she found Loki sitting under her favorite tree, an ancient maple where she’d spent hours sketching or losing herself in between the covers of a favorite book, cradled in the crook of its two main branches. As she approached, the dark haired boy glanced up but just as quickly darted his eyes back to his ragged paperback. If not for the pink ears and nervous throat clearing as he stared at the yellowed pages in front of him, she would’ve thought he was deliberately ignoring her. The more she observed him though, the more she realized that he was just shy. Shy and probably completely overwhelmed at all the changes in his life. He’d been uprooted from his home and thrust into a whole new country with a whole different culture. He’d had to leave behind everything that was familiar and safe, including his friends. Deciding he could probably use some space, she gave him a small smile then plopped herself onto a patch of grass on the other side of the tree, flipping open the pad cover and began sketching. 

After a bit, she pulled a bag of her favorite candy out of her overalls pocket. Shaking a few Sour Patch Kids into her hand, she reached around the tree trunk without a backward glance and placed the bag on the grass between them. Then she waited. After what felt like ten minutes, (but was in reality only like two) she heard the bag rustle. A pleased grin creased her face and she resumed sketching. The evening sun’s warm rays stretched and lengthened across the yard, and the shouts from Thor and Tyler’s impromptu football lesson faded away as the cinnamon haired girl and sable haired boy lost themselves in their respective worlds, their hands alternating in and out of the candy bag. 

All too soon, their parents were calling for them. It was time for the Odinsons to leave. Suddenly, Anne felt the strangest prick of disappointment at the thought of Loki leaving. She’d barely said two words to him, but she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him yet. She felt such an odd kinship to him… How could that be when they hadn’t even talked?

“Thanks,” came a quiet voice from the side of the tree. A second later the owner of the voice appeared, a hesitant, barely there smile turning up Loki’s mouth. He held out the yellow candy bag to her.

“Oh! You’re welcome. You-you can keep the rest if you want,” Anne got to her feet, dusting off her backside and tucking her pad under her arm. “I-I didn’t know if you’d like them or not. Some people don’t, but I figured maybe you’d want to try some American candy.”

“I-I did like them,” he nervously rubbed his bandana wrapped wrist, pink tingeing his ears once again. That’s when she noticed that he had an almost English accent, not at all what she was expecting. Honestly, she’d been expecting a bit more of the Swedish chef and a little less Prince William. Come to think of it, his parents and brother had similar accents... “And-uh...thanks for hanging out and-and not wanting to talk. Most people would, and sometimes, I-I-I just get overwhelmed and don’t want to talk. And America has been a little -a lot- overwhelming so far.”

“Well, anytime you want to hang out in silence I’m down. Though I can’t promise I’ll be completely silent the whole time. Sometimes a girl has to talk a little bit.”

He ruffled his hair with a quiet chuckle. “I’d like that. Uh…” he resumed rubbing the same wrist. As he did, the bandana slid down ever so slightly revealing more pale skin, but also what looked almost like the edge of a...tattoo? Was that what he was hiding under that scarf? Shocked, Anne darted her eyes to the grass praying that Loki hadn’t noticed her staring at his skin. The curved, almost serpentine, shape was burned into her mind’s eye, though. What kid their age had an honest to goodness tattoo? Daring a glance back at him, she saw him hurriedly tugging the bandana back into place. Thankfully, he either didn’t catch her gawking at his wrist or decided to ignore it because he just continued, “- may I see what you were drawing?”

“Oh! Uh, sure,” she flipped open the pad and stepped to his side so he could get a better view. Their shoulders bumped together and a little tingle zinged down her arm. What was that? Before she could try to analyze it, Loki was talking, “Hey! This is good. Honestly, really good.” He tilted his head and peered at her. “You’re very talented, Anne.”

Her cheeks burning and feeling a bit shy herself, she mumbled, “Thanks, I have a long way to go.”

“No, you have a real talent! My parents were friends with a number of artists back home, and you’re very much their equal.” He ran a long finger over the charcoal shaded spines of the laughing dragon riding the merry-go-round, “though you have much more whimsy and humor in your work than they ever did.”

Anne felt the blush in her cheeks spread out and down her neck and chest (curse you, red hair!), as she watched his fingers trace over the paper. What was with her sudden fascination with this boy’s hands and arm? She’d never felt this way about any boy before. “That’s very nice of you. I’m afraid I don’t draw serious stuff like portraits or-or landscapes. I like drawing fun things, like dragons and unicorns and-and gnomes. Not stuff a real artist is supposed to draw.”

“Personally, I think drawing whatever you love the most makes you an artist. Not following some stuffy made up rules,” Loki stated as seriously as any professional art critic.

Okay, she kind of wanted Silent Loki back. Chatty Loki was overwhelming her with all these compliments and making her have all these funny new feelings. She knew a lot of girls would be basking in this stuff, but her weird practical side was just embarrassed by the sudden attention. (Weird because artists were NOT supposed to be practical by nature. In fact her family always teased her for behaving like a fifty year old woman rather than a twelve year old girl.) But before she could embarrass herself by awkwardly trying to accept his compliments, her dad bellowed across the yard, “Anne! It’s time for Loki to go! Let’s hustle it up!”

So instead, she mumbled her thanks again and they jogged across the yard towards their parents. Just as they were steps away from the adults, with Tyler and Thor already on the deck, Anne heard Dr. Odinson say, “Thank you all for a lovely evening. I know you were probably thinking that I was going to throw you out on your ears and bring my own staff-no no don’t deny it. I caught the look of terror on both your faces. In fact, I would’ve thought the same things, had I been in your shoes. But I just want to reassure you that both your jobs and the current staff’s positions are safe. Yes, Frigga will be joining me at the clinic, but she won’t be taking anyone’s job. As I always say, the more nurses the better. After all, who else is going to stand up to a doctor when they’re being an idiot? Right, Dr. Chambers?”

With a relieved laugh, Eleanor said, “You’re exactly right, sir.”

“Good, good. I’ll see you both then, first thing Monday morning.”

Frigga stepped around her husband as he said his goodbyes and gently grasped Anne’s hand. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to see your artwork, but why don’t you and your mom stop by our house next week, and you can show me your portfolio? Besides-” she leaned and said quietly, so only Anne and Eleanor could hear. “You’ve seemed to have made quite an impression on my Loki, and I think he’ll be happy to see you. I haven’t seen him so chatty since before we left Asgard. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’re going to be good for him, and he could really use a friend right now.”

Words failing her, but feeling inexplicably pleased at those reassurances, Anne found herself nodding her agreement as Eleanor stepped in for her daughter and said, “We’d love to stop by for a chat, Mrs. Odinson.”

“Lovely!” 

“See you later, Anne. Maybe next time we hang out in silence you can also show me some drawing tips.” A teasing sparkle gleamed in Loki’s green eyes, as for the first time a genuine grin crossed his face.

“You’re on!”

Afterward, as the four Chambers stood in their driveway waving goodbye to the Odinsons, Rob laughed ruefully. “Good job, Chambers family! I do believe we might have saved Christmas.”

Eleanor slumped over with a fake swoon. “I know I for one could use some ice cream after all that stress. Who’s with me?”

With a cheer, the other three members of the family raced each other to the burgundy minivan sitting in the driveway. As she trailed behind, Eleanor looked up at the golden tinged clouds above her head and breathed, “Thanks, Big Guy. We owe you big time.”

***

Forcing herself to stop hiding out in the kitchen, Anne made her way into the living room, desperately clutching a glass of water in one hand and a plate of Oatmeal Scotchies in the other, all in an effort to keep her hands from shaking. There she was greeted by the sight of Phil sprawled across Thor’s lap like he owned it, and Morty resting his massive wooly head on Thor’s knee and gazing up at him adoringly as Thor scratched his ears.

A snort of surprised laughter bubbled out of her, the dread at what Thor was about to tell her momentarily forgotten. “I see that you’ve met my two roommates!”

“Yes, I believe that I may have a couple of new best friends,” he chuckled as he reached for the glass of water.

She quickly deposited the plate of cookies and plopped down on the chocolate brown overstuffed corduroy armchair next to the oatmeal couch, shoving her hands under her thighs to hide their trembling. “Okay, Thor, out with it. Why are you here?” 

He took a cookie off the plate and bit into it, not saying a thing or making eye contact with her as he chewed. The knot in her stomach tightened and the back of her neck prickled with anxiety and sweat. Just as she felt like she might explode, he finally spoke. “It’s Loki.”

“Thor-” One of the tears that had been threatening to spill since he’d walked through her door, slithered down her cheek. “Thor-” her throat closed up and any further attempt at speech was gone.

In a flash, he was kneeling next to her chair and not knowing how they even got there, both of her hands were cradled between his large calloused palms. “I know. I know, but I had to come. You’re the only one who can help me. The only one my misguided idiot of a brother might listen to. Gods know he won’t listen to me.”

“B-b-but, he won’t. H-he just won’t,” a ragged whisper was all she could muster.

“We have to try. We must. Because if we don’t...if we don’t-” Now he was the one choking back tears. “If we fucking don’t, I fear-”

All the air seemed to be sucked from the room, time stopped and Anne stared back at him in transfixed horror at whatever his next words would be.

“I fear- no, I _know_ , he will be dead before the week’s out.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Anne feels like she's up a creek without a frick frackin' paddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has not been beta-ed so the standard warnings apply: all grammatical, brain farts and spelling errors aaaand wanton comma abuse are mine and mine alone.

“NO.”

Icy horror drenched her as every shred of thought condensed into the single raw word that tore itself from her throat. Anne leapt to her feet and began pacing the room. 

_Nonononono NO._

Loki couldn’t die. Not with so many unspoken words between them. Not without telling him that it still tore her up inside that she’d hurt him. Not without begging his forgiveness. Not without trying to make him understand why she'd had to do what she did that night six years ago. 

“What? Thor, who-who would want to do this to him? I know he’s been in a dark place for a long time, bu-but why would someone want to kill him?”

“He’s in more than ‘a dark place’, Anne. He’s set up shop in the halls of hell and built a kingdom there. Loki’s running an entire empire built on schemes, deceit and the darkest of magicks from that club of his in Savannah.”

_The Abyss_

While she’d never set foot in Loki’s club, she couldn’t help but despise it for one simple reason. It was the place that had ripped apart her relationship with the man who’d once been her dearest friend. Just the thought of it made her feel sick. If she could just go back...but now wasn’t the time for if onlys and what ifs. “Who, Thor? Who wants to kill him?”

“Do you know why we left Asgard all those years ago?”

“I know some of it, but-but not everything I’m sure. Back in college, Loki came to visit me once, and he shared a little bit of your history with me. If I remember right, wasn’t it a political coup involving a group called the Frost Giants that forced you to leave? Like you guys were literally running for your lives? From the way Loki told it, the Giants are evil incarnate.” Anne thought back to that bittersweet night. Loki had appeared unannounced on her doorstep. He’d been battered and bloody, and she’d taken him in without a second thought. He’d been so beat up that he broke down and spilled his soul to her in a way he’d never done before...not even when they were kids.

“That's mostly right. There’s more to it of course, but in Loki’s mind that’s the heart and soul of it. He’s right though, the Giants are some of the most evil beings to walk this earth,” Thor said. “They’re the ones behind all this. For years he’s been hell bent on taking revenge on them, but this time he’s gone too far on his quest. He’s messed with one of their leaders and now they’ve put out a hit on him.”

Anne gasped. “A hit? Thor, what the hell? You sound like he got tangled up with the mob or something! How do you even know all this? I-I thought he didn’t want anything to do with you either.”

“He doesn’t, but-but he’s my little brother, Anne,” Thor shot her a helpless look as he thrust his fingers through his long hair. “How could I turn my back on him? I had to keep tabs on him. I have friends in the underground same as he does. In return for a few favors, they keep me informed about what’s going on in Loki’s world. This evening I got a call from one of them. You see, there’s been other threats, but this one-this one is different. It’s bad. It’s really, really bad. I need to go to him immediately, but I need someone to help me. I need someone who knows Loki’s heart and can see past that hard exterior. I need you.”

“Thor. C’mon. Not to be a broken record, but I’m the last person he’ll listen to. He told me so himself. The last time we spoke, I hurt him so badly, he literally threw me not just out of the room, but out of town and back into my house.” _Talk about being reminded the hard way your friend was a powerful witch._ “I really don’t think I can help you. He doesn’t want me anywhere near him.”

He reached out and clasped both her hands in his massive paws They were so large her hands nearly disappeared in his grip, the warmth from his rough palms instantly warming her cold, sweaty ones. In fact they were so warm that they felt hot. Odd. Thor was always warm, but right now his touch was almost feverish. Before she could give it another thought, he stated, “You can help me. I know it. I have faith in you, ginger girl. You can reach him and bring him to safety.”

The last bit of reluctance holding her back shattered. Of course, he had to use his old nickname for her. He knew just how to get to her, damn him. “Okay. Okay. No promises, but I’ll try. For the record, I don’t think it’ll work, but I will try.” She tugged her hands free and grasped Phil to her chest. She needed something to snuggle to try to soothe herself after that decision. “When do we leave?”

“As soon as possible. Tonight, honestly. How long will it take you to pack?”

“What?!” Her arms went limp in shock and poor Phil tumbled to the ground, the miffed feline yowling in indignation as he landed on his feet. “TONIGHT?! I-I was assuming we’d leave in a day or two.”

“Anne, there’s truly no time to waste. We talking literal life and death here. According to my source, the attack is scheduled for this Thursday during the annual _Hausblot*_ ball Loki throws at the club. We need to get Loki out of Savannah before the Giants catch wind that we’re in town.” He paused the torrent of words rushing from his mouth, trying to collect himself. “Please, Anne. I need to help him. I-I said such terrible things to him the last time I saw him. I spoke without thought... Without a _single_ damn thought to his feelings. To what he was going through. I was cruel and with my cruelty and my ignorance, I drove my brother away. So I need to save him. Not just because he’s my brother, but because I need to make amends. I have no other choice.”

His words struck her like a thousand tiny daggers. They’d both treated Loki like shit. Instead of trying to see his side of things, they’d both lashed out and tried to force him to their wills because they thought they knew what was best for him. Her insides froze over again as it began to set in how desperate this situation was. “Okay, but I need to at least find someone to check in on Phil and Morty.”

“Of course,” Thor waved his hand and murmured under his breath. “There. Their food and water dishes will stay full until you return home, and I’ve magicked the back door to unlock and open whenever they need to go to the yard to take care of business. I’ve also warded the house so no one may enter while you’re gone.”

“Oh. Well. I guess I’ll just go pack then.” In a daze, Anne left the living room and found herself frantically darting between her bedroom and bathroom. Feeling like her head was crammed with cotton, she started shoving things into a massive overnight bag. How do you even back for a trip like this? She was going to have to blend in at a nightclub, and not just any nightclub, a goth nightclub. Jeans and a ratty art school t-shirt simply weren’t gonna cut it. Reaching into the depths of the closet, she yanked out a couple tops she hadn’t worn in ages. The last time she'd dressed up was either for a girls night with Jane and Darcy or a local concert. They weren't exactly goth appropriate, but they would have to do. She stuffed them in the bag along with a couple pairs of jeans and a pair of boots.

Loki. Someone wanted to _kill_ him. 

She covered her mouth to muffle her pained moan as she sank onto her quilt covered bed, her hip and knee twinging in protest again. Tears began to slip down her cheeks. No. She couldn’t do this now. She didn’t have time for tears. She didn’t have time to mourn lost chances. Now was the time for action. There would be plenty of chances to cry after Loki once again slammed the proverbial door in her face. Scrubbing away the tears with the palm of her hand, she got off the bed and swept some makeup and jewelry off the vanity and into her bag. She was going to need every piece of armor available to tackle this mission.

“I’m ready,” she said as she rounded the corner back into the living room, sounding way more confident than she felt. _Fake it ‘til you make it, baby._

Thor’s shoulders sagged with visible relief, “Oh good. Let’s go.” He took the bag out of her sweaty hand and without a backward glance he was out the front door, leaving her no choice but to follow. 

But Anne couldn’t leave quite so quickly. Apprehension and fear tightened around her nerves like a noose. Sensing her emotional turmoil, Morty made his way over to her and leaned against her leg. She took a long look around the room as she stroked his satiny, cocoa brown ears. Something deep within her was warning her that the next time she was back in this room, life would be completely different.

“Anne?”

“Coming!” She slung her purse over her shoulder and waved goodbye to the cat and dog staring at her with curiosity and whispered, trying to reassure herself more than them, “Don’t worry, boys. I’ll be home soon.”

Locking the door behind her, she turned and was greeted by the sight of Thor standing next to a low slung silver BMW. “What is _THAT_? Since when did you get a sports car?”

“It’s Mjolnir.” He stated as if that explained everything.

“Ummm...isn’t Mjolnir your motorcycle?” Back in high school Thor had worked two part time jobs in between playing sports to save enough money to buy a Valkyrie motorcycle. He loved that thing. Besides his family, there was practically nothing he loved more than that bike. There was no way he’d replaced it with such an impractical, albeit gorgeous, car. 

“Yes.”

“Soooo... you have two vehicles named Mjolnir??”

“No, just the one.”

Squinting at him in irritation she was just opening her mouth to berate him for being so obtuse, when she caught a twinkle dancing in his arctic blue eyes. He was teasing her. Teasing her to try to ease the terror threatening to suffocate her. Deciding to play along she gave him an exaggerated eye roll and huff as she flopped onto the buttery soft black leather passenger seat and clicked the seat belt into place.

“I’m sorry, gingey. I’ll be nice. This car and my motorcycle are one in the same. Mjolnir is simply a vessel I can use as a conduit for my magic. It has been since I was a teen. I can change The Hammer to suit my needs. For this trip I needed transportation to carry us to Loki as quickly as possible. With the speeds at which we’ll have travel, the back of a motorcycle would get a little chilly hence the car. Plus, why not travel with a little style?” He winked as he wedged his broad shoulders into the driver's seat. Pushing the keyless ignition, the engine leapt to life with a heavy purr. “Hold on, ginger girl! I feel the need! The need for speed!”

Before she could tease him about his idol worship of a certain 80’s fighter pilot, the car was enveloped in a ball of blue white light. A millisecond later she was thrown back against the seat like a rag doll as they shot forward, hurtling down the road at a speed that could only be described as sub-sonic.

_“THO-O-O-R-R-R!!”_

***

Thor guided Mjolnir to a stop along a curb on a nondescript street lined with warehouses and dilapidated turn of the century homes. The street lamp above them flooded the interior of the car with shadowy amber light.

“W-where are we?” Anne grunted, prying open her clenched jaw to speak for the first time since the trip began. She’d just spent over 2 hours feeling like her skeleton was about to leave her body. When he said that they were going to be traveling high speeds she’d thought that meant going 90mph, not nearly 500mph.

“Savannah, Georgia. We’re about two blocks away from The Abyss.”

That’s when she noticed the faint throb of bass vibrating the car. She’d just assumed it was blood rushing through her body as her organs decided to settle back into their normal positions. Oof. That was not a ride she was looking forward to repeating. The only bonus was that the normally 17 hour long road trip had been cut down by 15 hours. “Wait. We’re going there tonight?”

“Yep.”

“But I thought-I thought I’d- I mean-we’d have a little time to get ready. You know...come up with a game plan, and then going in tomorrow with guns blazing.” She gestured frantically to her ratty old art school tee, jeans and beat up Asics, “Besides I can’t go into a fricking nightclub looking like _this_.”

“What?! You look fine!” He said dismissively. “ And this is the plan. You go into the club, convince Loki to leave, and then we all go home.”

“ME? What-what about you, buddy? Aren’t you coming with me?” _Alright. Hold up. You’ve really got to stop with all the questions. You sound like some kind of overage, shrill Dora the Explorer. No one wants to hear you constantly screaming, “Where’s the map???”_

“I can’t. He’s warded me from the premises. If I even step foot within 1000 feet of the building, I’ll be portaled into a wetland miles away from the club. Trust me, and the numerous pairs of boots I’ve ruined from being dumped in a swamp, I’ve tried. I’ve tried so many times I can’t even count anymore, but each time I set a toe across that perimeter, I’m knee deep in muddy water, staring down the wrong end of a cottonmouth.”

Anne slumped back into the seat in defeat, “So where's this club? In one of these old warehouses?” 

“Well, you know Loki and his flair for the dramatic? He bought an old convent and converted it into the club. Just take a left at the end of this block and you’ll see it on the next block over. You can’t miss it. It’s the only church that has a crowd of goths lining up to get it.” 

Of course Loki had turned a sanctuary for holy women into a haven of sin and excess. Of course! Why the hell not? With a groan she threw open the car door and was immediately smacked in the face by a wall of humidity. Blurgh. What a night...and it wasn’t even close to being over yet. _I just want to go home and forget that this night had ever happened. Life had been good before all this. Not to mention cooler. I have my pets, my family, and a job I love. Granted it’s a little boring sometimes, but it’s safe and easy...not whatever the hell is about to go down tonight._ Right on the heels of that thought, guilt washed over her, and she immediately began berating herself. _Stop. Just stop. Remember why you’re doing this and quit being such a selfish bitch. Your former best friend, the man you swore you would always be there for, the man who you’ve always wished...always hoped…could’ve been more than just a friend, needs you, and you’re whining about not looking pretty. A man’s life is on the line. Now grow the hell up and get your ass into that club._

Squaring her shoulders and tucking her pout away, she rounded the front of the car and began marching across the street. Though before she could take a step further, a hand on her elbow stopped her. Then two massive arms pulled her into a bear hug. “Thank you for saving my idiot brother, Anne. I can never repay you.”

With watery laugh she hugged him back, trying to choke back tears, “You don’t have to thank me, big guy. He’s my idiot almost as much as yours. You know I’d do anything to save you Odinson boys.”

As she pulled away, he tapped her chin with his finger, “ _Vær trygg venn_ *. Jane will have my head if I don’t bring you back safe and sound.”

“I’m always safe. And don’t worry! I’ll have your head myself if I don’t come back.” With a playful punch to his arm, she turned, took a deep breath, and walked into the dark, sticky night.

***

_She was here._

The copper sigil glowing on his forearm reflected in the stormy aqua eyes staring at it. Every hair on his body stood on end as his senses sharpened to a razor’s edge. 

_Finally._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _vær trygg venn_ is Norwegian for "Stay safe, friend." Obviously not Asgardian, but I figured Norwegian would be a close approximation for it. ;)
> 
> * _Haustblot_ or Fallfeast is the Norse/Germanic celebration of the Autumn Equinox


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy, you guys. This is a beast of a chapter. I thought about splitting it into two chapters, but then I would drag things out even more than they already are. Also a million thank yous to my beta amazing beta Modmerseygirl. Without her y'all would be wading through a veritable wasteland of grammatical errors. She's literally a Grammar Goddess. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

The lean shadow cloaked figure braced a hand against the casing of the soaring stained glass window overlooking the entrance of the club. The brass buckles on his reconstructed black straight jacket quietly tapped against the glass and strands of jet hair fell over his stormy ocean blue eyes. The window he was looking through depicted a scene of a fierce lion curled around a tiny lamb. A scene that was once meant to evoke feelings of safety and peace, but those days were gone. Now it was more of a portrayal of a meek lamb willingly walking into the dangerous embrace of a tawny predator even though it knew it might lead to death. Such was the appeal of The Abyss. Danger mixed with thrills too delicious to resist. 

But Loki’s mind was not on his club and the dark pleasures found within its walls. It was on a certain woman who had turned her back on him, walked away without a backwards glance, but was now for some reason back in his world. From his perch four stories above, he could see every single person attempting to gain access to his kingdom. He furiously scanned the crowd below. Where was she? He knew she was here. The sigil could not lie. 

_There!_

Standing between a girl in a spike covered Elizabethan collar and a gaunt man in a black and purple lace suit, he spotted the woman he would recognize at any distance. That flame colored hair and curvy form were as familiar to him as his own reflection. He drank in the sight of her ponytail swaying slightly as she shifted her weight from side to side, hating how his heart thundered in his chest at just the sight of her. _Wait. Was that…_ Oh for fucking Valhalla’s sake. She was still wearing that old t-shirt?! Someone needed to steal it from her and burn that thing. 

Unexpectedly she turned her face up towards his window, almost as if she could sense the eyes on her. He stumbled back from the window, all at once afraid that she could see him even though there was no way she could. Not a single lamp illuminated the window and it was too far up. Besides he’d charmed all the glass in his office so that no one but him could see in or out unless he willed it. He rubbed his hand over his face. For shit’s sake, he needed to get himself under control. There was no way he’d be able to face her with any amount of dignity if he didn’t.

 _Don’t forget how she treated you that night. How she refused to listen to you. How you offered your very self to her, but she tossed it back in your face._

Unfortunately the old pain and resentment no longer burned like it once did. But old habits were hard to break, so he pulled the mask of aloof fury back over his soul anyways. He forced himself back to the window just in time to see her stumble against the brick wall of the church as a douchebag dressed in a dollar store Dracula costume shoved past her. Instantly a blue flame conjured itself in the palm of his hand as anger flared inside him at the wanker’s rudeness. Long seconds ticked by before he took a deep breath, he closed his fist, extinguishing the flame before he hurled it through the window and set fire to the cheap polyester cape flapping against the bastard’s flat ass.

Fuck. This was not going to go well tonight.

***

Anne was _s-w-e-a-t-i-n-g_.

Good lord, it was almost the end of September. Why was it so frickin’ hot?! It was nearly 11:00 at night! Shouldn’t it be cooling down by now? Yeesh. She’d heard that it stayed warm down south in the fall, but this was ridiculous. There was at least one good thing about this heat, though. It was distracting her from the task at hand. She drew in a shuddering breath of muggy air. Her stomach felt like someone was practicing balloon animals on it, and her hands were shaking like she’d just drank twenty straight shots of espresso.

The line into the club crawled forward inch by creeping inch. She shifted her feet, ducking as the girl in front of her fluffed her fluted, spiky collar once again. This was the fifth time in as many minutes she’d readjusted that thing, each time forcing Anne to jerk her head back to avoid being skewered in the eye by a blood red spike. Suddenly she felt like someone was watching her, and not just one of her fellow line dwellers wondering why someone like her was trying to get in this particular club. These eyes belonged to someone who had intentionally singled her out. Someone who knew her. She whipped her head around, even looking up toward the massive stained glass rose window looming over the crowd, but she couldn’t see anything unusual.

A pimple faced college kid sporting a set of horribly crooked press-on fangs shoved past her and cut right to the front of the line. Losing her balance she stumbled back against the convent’s brick wall. A yelped “Hey!” sputtered from her as she went down on one knee, pain radiating from her stiff leg at the sudden move. 

“Out of the way, normie!” he sneered back at her. “Go back to Hobby Lobby where you belong!”

A bony long fingered hand grasped her forearm and pulled her back to her feet. “Don’t mind him,” Anne’s eyes traveled along a lace covered arm and shoulder all the way up to the hollow cheeked face of the man who’d just helped her. A mane of silver and lavender hair that nearly reached his waist framed eyes so dark they were just a shade lighter than coal. And his skin! She’d never seen someone so pale. Not white pancake makeup pale, but honest to god “pretty sure there’s not a drop of blood in his body” pale. If not for the gentle smile creasing his thin blue lips, she would’ve been slightly terrified. 

“Don’t mind him, miss. He’s just a loser poseur who tries and fails to get in every night,” the man murmured in an intensely quiet voice, something in its low timbre drawing her in and making her want to lean closer to him so she could catch every word.

“Thanks,” she said, straightening her shirt and extending her hand with a friendly smile. “I’m Anne.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Anne,” his slow Southern drawl as smooth as velvet as he shook her hand. “I’m Janus. Pardon my rudeness for saying this, but he’s right you know...you don’t exactly fit in.”

Anne sighed, “Trust me, I know. I wasn’t exactly planning on being here tonight. I had a thrilling night of downing a pint of mint chocolate chip while binging Queer Eye for the third time planned, but obviously the universe had a different idea.”

“That sounds a sight better than standing in this damned line,” Janus grinned revealing a set of fangs of his own. Before she could control herself, Anne felt her eyes widen and chin drop in shock. _Ho boy...pretty sure those things are real…_ Years ago when Loki had shown her that magic was real, he’d also informed her that certain fairy tale creatures were as well, but she’d never come face to face with any of them. Until now. She desperately tried to cover her shock with a cough, but his dark eyes took on a knowing look as the grin slipped off his face and was replaced with a look of sad understanding. “Don’t worry. I only bite if you’re a douche bag.”

“Oh! No! I-I don’t...I’m sor-” But before she could finish trying to stammer out a lame apology, the line shifted forward, and it was finally her turn to face the bouncer. 

_Saved by the Amazon glaring at me like I’m an annoying gnat..._

***

Loki watched Anne’s interaction with the vampire Janus. Janus wasn’t a bad sort. He kept his feedings to pimps, child abusers and the like so Loki wasn’t worried about him attacking Anne. But his knack for charming anyone in possession of two legs with that drawl of his? Now that was cause for a bit of concern.

Aha! She’d finally made it to Dagmar. He smirked as he rubbed his hands together. This should be interesting. When it came to his favorite bouncer, the most apt description was _“Takes no shit and gives zero fucks.”_ Her mother was a famous retired Maori physicist, and her father a commander in the Asgardian army who was in charge of hand to hand combat training. Combine the two and you have someone who was both brutally intelligent and wickedly strong. During a single evening, he’d watched her throw out a group of burly werewolves wreaking havoc at the bar and then partake in a verbal sparring match with a Nobel Prize winning astronomer who’d decided to go slumming in their neighborhood. Observing her interact with a certain sneaker wearing ginger was going to be amusing. Though… One should never underestimate the power of Anne Chambers' open, friendly smile. He’d seen it melt more than one hardened soul over the years. They might be more evenly matched than he first thought.

Activating the Raven Sight sigil on his wrist, he projected his vision and hearing past the massive brick walls and to the scene below.

***

“Hey uh-hi, how much for the cover charge?” _Way to go, Anne! You managed to actually keep a normal tone rather than squeaking so high you call every dog within a three mile radius._ In spite of that small victory, Anne could already feel her phony confidence slipping. This was starting out just fantastic.

The woman leaning against the yawning brick doorway quirked a chiseled eyebrow at her, her teal and magenta braids practically twitching with disdain. “Really?”

Anne cleared her voice, “Yeah! I’m meeting a friend inside!!” Aaand there went her voice straight up into the dog whistle arena. 

“What makes you think I’ll let you in, Mary Sue?” The warrior goddess crossed her arms, muscles rippling underneath her smooth olive skin.

“Um...well because you don’t have to worry about me starting fights, and I always overtip the bartender?” Anne tried out her best friendly grin again, even if it was starting to droop at the corners. Worse yet, her inner coward was nearly praying that she’d get turned away. That way she could go back to Thor and tell him she’d tried, but it was no use. There was simply no getting in and they’d have to go home.

But then there was that other part of her that desperately wanted...no, _needed_ to see Loki again. And that was what was keeping her in line and trying her hardest to not be intimidated out of her spot.

***

Loki grinned with perverse delight. He could tell Dagmar was winding up for one of her epic set downs, and from the looks of it, this would be one for the books.

“And? You actually think I’ll let you in dressed like that? You look like you just got done teaching a bunch of preschoolers how to finger paint. If I let you in, then the next thing I know, I’ll have to let in all those Lululemon wearing, Prada bag owning, look at me I drive a hybrid Escalade, have two kids named Nayveeiy or Mayzeeiy or some other god awful name, suburban soccer moms who want to party with the freaky weirdos so they can experience all the scary, tingly thrills their uptight investment broker husbands can’t give them. And since I’m not about to let that happen, you can just get your ass back to Applebees, order yourself a bottomless strawberry margarita, and never come ba-”

 _“Dagmar.”_ The bouncer froze as his voice echoed in her head. Every one of his most trusted employees were inked with a charm that allowed a telepathic channel between him and them. Of course he gave them the option to turn it down, but if they chose to forgo the charm then they simply did not move up in the company. So far, every single one had said yes.

_“Let her in.”_

_“But, boss-”_

Loki let a subtle growl creep into his voice, _“Let her in. Now.”_

“Yes, sir.” 

With a grimace Dagmar barked, “Never mind, Mary Sue. Looks like it’s your lucky day because it appears I’ve changed my mind. You can go in. Cover’s $50.”

_***_

Anne gaped at the towering bouncer, “What?? Really? But-but... You were just saying- Wait. _$50?_ For a _cover_?!”

“Yeah, and the price will keep going up the longer you stand here looking like a goldfish. So you going in or not?” 

She frantically wretched open her purse and thrust her hand inside, desperately fishing around for her wallet. Gum, lip balm, protein bar, charcoal, mini sketchpad, gum again… _Ugh! Where is that damn wallet?! Oh thank god, finally._ Yanking out the wallet, she rifled through it until she found the emergency fifty dollar bill she always kept behind her Sam’s Club card. Then with a slightly shaking hand, extended it to the bouncer, half afraid she’d throw it back at her and tell Anne she couldn’t go in after all. Instead the woman simply held it up to the street lamp to check its authenticity and then waved her towards the doorway.

The last thing she heard before the bass pounding through the doorway enveloped her senses was a whine from the guy who’d pushed her. “What the hell?! You let that normie in?? And not me?! This place is turning into a fucking joke-” Then he was cut off by what she could only imagine was a pair of strong hands tossing him into the street. A slightly smug half smile tugged at her lips as she walked into the club.

That smile was quickly replaced once again by her best goldfish impression. Shock was chased by wonder followed by awe and bewilderment. Walking through the doorway of The Abyss was like emerging through the gateway of another plane of existence. Like being on an alternate Earth. Some place where reality twisted upon itself and was reborn. 

Shafts of fuschia, chartreuse and cerulean light sliced through the darkness of the cavernous church, the blades of light both revealing and disguising the gyrating mass of bodies on the dance floor. Blinding white spot lights illuminated the massive marble columns supporting the flying buttresses overhead. Where once there stood statues of saints overlooking the contrite faithful, there were now the likenesses of the elder gods of lust, darkness, revelry and death. Ratri, Hod, and Rahu stood guard above the entrance. Osiris and Pan leered down from their perches above the confessionals, while Dionysus and Freya frolicked above the bar. Hel, Anubis and Hades presided from the lectern where the clergy had once given sermons on piety and self control.

And the music! Bass throbbed like a slow heartbeat while the eerie notes of a Hardanger fiddle wove their way between the pulses. The source of the music came from a stage levitating above the massive bar that took up nearly half of the eastern wall. A DJ who looked just like Fauno from Pan’s Labyrinth was bent over his table, frantically turning dials and knobs. Next to him a woman, a sheer black veil covering her entire head and face, dressed in a high necked gold dress that clung to her body like a second skin swayed as her fiddle cried out its haunting song of desire and loss.

Someone impatiently cleared their throat behind her. _Oh shit!_ While she was taking her sweet time gawking at her surroundings, she was still standing right in the entrance of the club. Thereby blocking the way of anyone else who wanted to get it. _Score yet another point for Awkward Anne!_ Stumbling forward, she beelined it for the nearest column where she could hide behind and attempt to get her bearings and racing heart back under control. 

Sweet heavens, she was back in Loki’s world. She’d been away from him for so long, and now she was back. Slumping against the cool marble, she couldn’t deny the feelings of elation singing in her veins at being in the empire he’d created. But it also hurt like hell... To be so close, and yet still so far away from him. How was she even going to get him to see her? It’s not like she could just call up his secretary and ask for a meeting? ...Could she?

 _Of course not, you idiot! You can’t “just schedule an appointment” with him, and he’s not going to have open office hours like some kind of professor. You’re so stupid to even think it would be so easy to get a meeting with him._

Still, there had to be an office that he worked from right? She scanned the entire area for anything that looked like it might be the entrance to an office, but the only thing she could see was a crowd of people indulging in every delight the club offered. People who didn’t stand out like a sore thumb in their schlubby clothes and sloppy ponytails. People who belonged in this sanctuary of magic and mystery.

Tearing her eyes away from the flocks of creepy, but beautiful people surrounding her, she continued searching the room up and down. Wait. Well that was odd. Jutting out from the entrance of the club was a massive wall of obsidian mirrored glass. Actually it was more like a cube of glass since the bottom of it was made up of the same pitch black material. She’d been so busy ogling the sights in front of her when she walked into the church that she hadn’t noticed what might be just above her head. Bizarre...and just the sort of dramatic aesthetic that Loki loved. She’d bet her favorite pen that this glass structure housed his office. Anne began looking for a staircase or a door that might open into a stairwell, but all she saw were stone walls.

Anne’s heart dropped in disappointment. How did you get up there? Levitate for Pete’s sake? Desperately staring at the wall under the cube, she finally noticed a tall black man with his back against it. Instead of joining in with the crowd, he was standing as still as one of the statues around them and intently watching the crowd in front of him. He had dreadlocks that were pulled away from his face in a loose half ponytail and incredibly broad shoulders, nearly as broad as Thor’s. He wore a simple copper brown t-shirt, tan skinny jeans and brown suede chelsea boots. He would’ve looked as out of place as her if not for the golden daggers strapped to each thigh. Call her crazy, but she was pretty sure weapons weren’t allowed in the club. He had to be guarding something. Squinting so hard at the wall behind the man that her contact lenses almost buckled, she at last spotted a small mark in the stone, something that looked like a lowercase “b” only instead of a stick and a ball, _(thank you repressed kindergarten memories)_ it was made up of a vertical line and off center triangle. That was not definitely not just a scratch in the ol’ granite. That was a deliberate mark. One that had to signify an opening. Okay. Now that she’d found the door, how was she going to sweet talk that guard into letting her talk to his boss?

***

From his office’s glass wall overlooking the club floor, Loki watched Anne huddled against a column. That's when he caught her intently staring at what he guessed must be the wall beneath his office. Eyes narrowed, she looked up at his office and back down. Clever girl. He’d bet his silver blades she’d spotted his guard. Admiration swept through him at her perceptiveness.

 _No!_ He straightened his spine and thrust any softening towards her away from his heart. _Do not let her get under your skin._ He pushed his hair out of his face and muttered out loud. “Okay, Barbara Anne, enough of this. It’s time to play…”

 _“Heimdall, do you see that woman in the red t-shirt standing near the bar?”_ He intoned in his most trusted guard’s mind.

_“You mean the one hugging that column like it’s her best friend? Yes sir, I’ve been keeping an eye on her from the second she walked in. Should I escort her out?”_

_“No. In fact, I want you to do the opposite. I want you to leave your post to do a perimeter check and let her sneak into the office stairwell.”_

_“Sir! You can’t be serious!”_

_“Oh I’m serious. Now go.”_

Doubt crept into Heimdall’s internal voice, but he obeyed Loki’s command, _“Yes, sir.”_

With a twist of his fingers, he unlocked the door that opened into the stairwell that led up to his office. He saw Heimdall emerge from under his office then resumed his watch over Anne. For so long he’d kept almost all of his feelings under lock and key and behind a wall of ice. Then one glance at an auburn ponytail and that ice was in immediate danger of cracking. He willed himself not to, but he couldn’t help wishing that he was standing next to her. To hear her breath catch with excitement. To be near enough to watch firsthand as that look of wonder mixed with determination lit up those gold and green eyes when she first walked in. Unbidden and unwanted, the memory of the first time he’d seen that exact look on her face crept over him.

***

_September 2000_  
 _Evergreen High School_

Fucking Sophomore year.

Borr above, he was not looking forward to another year at this hellhole. Going to school in a tight knit community meant that everything you did was viewed under an unforgiving microscope, and small town Maine did not take kindly to someone who didn’t fit the traditional masculine stereotypes, ie. if you weren’t a logger, lobsterman, or stuffy academic, then get the hell out.

“This is it! This is the year where everything starts happening. Freshman year is behind us, and we’re officially no longer the bottom rung of the food chain! I have so many plans!” Loki glanced down at the short redhead practically skipping down the sidewalk next to him, her eyes sparkling with big dreams and optimistic determination as she looked at the brick and plaster building looming at the end of the sidewalk. Gazing at her, he felt some of the tension at what horrors the year might bring slip away. How could you not feel a little shard of hope when you looked into those shining topaz and emerald eyes? Anne had this way of making you feel that everything would work out no matter how dismal the situation seemed. Being around such a sunny person all the time was a detriment to his graveyard sensibilities though. Why his strictly gothic self allowed such a cheerful friend in his life was a mystery, but whatever it was, he couldn’t-wouldn’t give her up.

“I’m really hoping I can make it onto Student Council so I can start helping to make all our lives here better. And Ms. Collins, the art teacher, cleared it with the principal so that three days a week instead of going to study hall 7th period, I’m going to help with art therapy down at the senior care center. I’d love to be in choir too, but as you know all my singing voice is good for is scaring away every animal around...including the mosquitoes!” She laughed ruefully before taking a deep breath to continue. “And-“

“Don’t forget about Speech and Debate, Model U.N. and Let’s Teach Area Trout How To Paint with Watercolors!” He smirked affectionately down at her.

“Knock it off!” She punched his arm in exasperation. “Just because some people aren’t all doom and gloom and ‘existence is just a made up construct’ doesn’t mean we all have to be like that. Some of us want to make a difference even if it’s all in their head.” Anne punched his arm again, sticking out her tongue to make her point.

“Ouch!” Hiding a real wince under the guise of overreaction, he whined. “Watch it! You’re making me break out of my carefully cultivated look of sneering apathy.”

“Ya big baby…” she snorted with a practiced eye roll. 

One of her friends from Art Club walked past them and Anne called out a greeting, mercifully distracting her attention from him. He wrestled back the urge to rub the spot where she’d hit him. Anne’s playful punches while they did pack a bit of sting, having a newly minted Marine for a brother had really helped to improve her swing, were normally nothing to him. Just a bit of affectionate horseplay between close friends. She dished it out the same to Tyler and Thor whenever they were being smartasses too. Unfortunately this time, she’d unknowingly hit the exact spot where he’d marked himself with a new spell. 

All magic, dark or light, marked the wielder of it in different ways. Every witches’ markings were unique to the witch. His markings happened to show up as tattoos. But while they might look like a tattoo, a fresh one certainly didn't feel like getting a tattoo. Working a new spell felt like your skin had been flayed open with a knife because they didn’t just permanently stain a few layers of skin. Spells marked a person down to their very soul and stayed with you for life even if you only used the spell once. 

He still remembered the tears of agony streaming down his face as his twelve year old self whispered the incantation of the Raven Sight sigil and watched in awed terror as it burrowed and slithered like black ink into his pale skin. His very first spell. It had been just days after his family had moved to Maine, right before that fateful dinner where he’d met Anne. He’d been so scared. They had just fled from their home with next to nothing, looking over their shoulders at every turn. Before they’d had to run for their lives, the Frost Giant clan had seemed like a benign threat, kind of like the mafia here in America. You knew they were real, but they never bothered you. In fact, people made jokes about them. They were the boogeyman you told stories about around campfires with friends, but you always knew they’d never hurt you. 

Until they did. 

Until they’d crept into your homeland in secret and then tore your country to shreds. Until they’d threatened your very life. Until they caused your normally lion hearted father to quake in fear. Until they’d ripped you from your home and forced you to flee to a land where nothing was the same, and everything you were was wrong. That was why he’d worked the Raven Sight spell. So he could see whatever was going on around him, and he’d never be taken by surprise again.

“Anyway, make fun all you want,” Anne’s voice tore through his memories, and Loki scrambled to regain control of his emotions. “But I really do want to do something to help people this year, to make a difference you know?”

He felt a soft smile tug at the edges of his mouth. This girl and her big heart. “If anyone can make a difference at this hellhole, it’s-“

A rough shove from behind knocked him off balance causing him to stumble into Anne. “Move outta the way, zombie boy! This sidewalk belongs to the living not undead make up loving freaks like you!”

_And so it begins…_

He caught Anne before she fell to the sidewalk. Shit! The first bell hadn’t even rung yet and the dickheads were already on the prowl. Anger laced through him while his arm twinged as a reminder that this year was going to be different. He wasn’t going to put up with the shit all the jocks and frat bro juniors in this town had been inflicting on him for the last three years. This new spell was all the ammunition he needed to fight back and win. 

But before he could whisper a single word to activate the Magic buried in his skin, a certain ginger’s voice rang out, “Hey asshat! You don’t own the sidewalk! It belongs to everybody, you lumbering, empty headed Neanderthal!”

Jack Pearson, high school hockey team hero and resident privileged fuck boy bully, brayed with raucous laughter,. “Look at that, Odinson! You finally have someone to stand up for you! Too bad it’s Fat Barbie!”

Anne bristled, her braided pigtails nearly standing on end with righteous fury. “You know what you are, Jack? You’re just a scared little boy who likes to hide behind his daddy’s money!”

As she lashed into the jock, Loki pulled himself up to his full height and set one hand on Anne’s shoulder, thereby showing the piece of shit laughing at her who’s protections she was under, and let the flames of rage flickering in his soul flare up and light his eyes on fire. Jack’s eyes widened in terror and he scuttled backwards, desperately trying to put distance between him and the boy with the glowing eyes.

“Yeah, you better run! And you think about what you did!” She twirled around, nearly dancing with victory. “I CAN’T BELIEVE WE DID IT! Whoa. I-I can’t believe I said those things. It-it was like something came over me, and I just let everything I’ve ever wanted to tell that bully hurl out of my mouth. Oh. Oh crap, I think I’m going to be sick.” She stopped dead in her tracks and bent over, sucking in huge gasps of air, before standing back up with a shaky laugh. “Ha! But we did it. We made Jack Pearson run away! We’re officially the most badass kids in the school!”

He smiled down into her sweet jubilant face, more than willing to let her share in this win. “Yeah, we did.”

Then the first bell of the school year was ringing out. “Frick! I can’t be late to English on my first day! I gotta go! See you in Geometry!” With a hurried wave she took off at a jog, her flare legged denim jeans and lavender and orange tennis shoes disappearing through the front door.

Before he could follow her, a hard hand on his shoulder wrenched him backwards. He spun around to find his big brother glaring down at him disapprovingly, massive arms crossed over his chest. How Thor was already the size of a college linebacker while Loki still looked like a walking scarecrow was the most unfair mystery in the world.

“Careful, brother.” Thor warned.

 _“What?”_ Loki hissed.

“Don’t ‘what’ me! Loki, I saw your eyes and if I could see them from halfway across the parking lot then I know for damn sure that Pearson saw them too.”

Loki smirked. “Oh he saw them all right, and they scared the shit right out of him.”

“Loki, you know what the risks are if people around here find out what we are. And we all can’t afford to take those risks. Not for our family or our friends.”

“But Thor! That prick insulted Anne, and he’s tortured me for three years straight!”

“I know, brother. I know. Let me handle it. I know how to talk to these jocks. After all, I am one.”

“I don’t need my big brother fighting my battles. I can take care of them all by myself.” He bit out.

“And look how well that turned out!” Thor heaved a long suffering sigh. “Okay, I won’t talk to Pearson, but if you slip up again, I’ll have to tell Mother and Father, and you and I both know what that’ll mean. Homeschooled, anyone?”

“Fine!” Loki threw up his hands, the chain bracelets around his wrists clanking together. “Fine. I’ll be a good little prince. Just. Like. You. Now, can I please go to class?”

“Loki...fuck. That’s not- Just-just get to class and stay out of trouble okay?”

Raising his middle finger to his forehead, Loki clicked his heels together and snapped off a salute, knowing his little show would annoy the hell out of his brother, but he wasn’t about to let Thor get the upper hand on this one. With that he stomped in the cinder block penitentiary of education.

***

Memories were dangerous things. Memories made you forget what was happening in the present. Memories put you at risk of being taken unaware by a woman who’d slipped into the entrance of the most secure location in this entire building and was currently much farther up the staircase to his office than he’d intended to let her go.

_“All right, Heimdall. She’s gotten close enough. Escort her out of the club. But. Tell Dagmar that if she comes back tomorrow night this woman is my special guest and she’s allowed immediate entry into the club. Then you personally escort her up to my office.”_

_“Yes sir, whatever you say.”_

Turning his back on the club floor, he walked over to his desk and dropped into his chair, stretching out his long legs. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the chair, exhaustion hitting him like a ton of bricks. Tonight was a complication in his long laid plans that he didn’t need. There was no time for distractions. He’d waited too long to set this revenge plan into motion and yet… He’d just felt more pure unadulterated pleasure tonight at one look at that pale, round face than he’d felt in years of unrestrained lust with a multitude of different partners. Excitement and anticipation were racing through him even though his old wounds were crying out in confusion at these nearly forgotten emotions. Leaning forward he rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands. 

“Come back tomorrow, Anne,” he groaned in a hoarse whisper. The words fell from his lips almost begrudgingly, but he was unable to keep himself from voicing a long buried hope. “Please.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaannnd things get a little... _heated_ in this chapter. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. But only a little bit so don't get too excited, my dudes. ;)

_Okay. Take two._

Applying the final touch to her makeup, Anne tossed the tube of liquid eyeliner back into her makeup bag and stepped back to analyze her reflection in the hotel bathroom mirror. A pair of high waisted indigo skinny jeans hugged her curvy hips. Into them she’d tucked an old _Stone Temple Pilots_ t-shirt. A pair of long delicate silver chains dangled from her ears and nearly reached her shoulders. She’d teased and wove her hair into a faux hawk french braid. As for makeup she’d gone with a subtle Mad Max look...or at least attempted to. Burgundy and scarlet eyeshadow feathered out towards her temples and nose bridge while heavy winged black eyeliner circled her eyes. Though if she was being completely honest with herself, she probably looked a lot more like a chubby version of Rufio from Hook than a badass post apocalyptic warrior. 

_“Welp. Not exactly goth chic, but definitely better than those raggedy, paint splattered jeans and muddy running shoes.”_ She thought as she turned away from the mirror and went to sit on the bed, reaching over the side to grab her high heeled ankle boots. _“And hey! At least these dark circles under my eyes will give me a bit of spooky cred.”_

Last night she’d gotten a grand total of zero hours of sleep. After being abruptly escorted out of the club by the breathtakingly gorgeous, golden dagger wearing bodyguard, she’d slunk out of the church to meet back up with Thor, defeat pooling in her heart and eyes. She was sure the bouncer at the door had been smirking at her hunched back as she’d shuffled away. As soon as she’d reached him, Thor took one look at her face and simply wrapped her up in his massive arms. 

Anne flopped back onto the burnt umber bedspread, the stiff fabric wrinkling under her. She’d been so close to him. Close enough that she could feel Loki’s presence in the very marrow of her bones as she’d tentatively climbed that steep glass staircase leading to his office. That was why she felt so defeated. She’d only had three more measly steps to go before reaching his door, but then a strong hand had grabbed her wrist and spun her around. And just like that she was face to face with the tall man who’d just minutes before been on the far side of the club (how in the hell had he moved so fast?). With an extremely direct _“This is a private staircase, ma’am. No patrons allowed.”_ he’d taken her upper arm and firmly escorted her outside. She’d been too frightened to do more than sputter _“But-but-but…”_ during the entire encounter. And that was that. Her rescue attempt was over almost as soon as it started. Loki was probably sitting in his office watching security footage of her bumbling around the club and laughing his head off.

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Startled, she popped upright and glanced at the bedside alarm clock. 8:00? Thor was super early. They were supposed to leave at 9:00 but maybe he was feeling the same nerves as she was and wanted to get this night over as soon as possible. Zipping up her boots, she grabbed the black leather moto jacket off the foot of the bed along with her purse and hurried to the door, giving a cursory glance in the peephole before throwing it open.

“Hey! You’re here early!” She chirped with false joviality. 

“Yes.. I-uh-Anne, I’m so sorry, but-” That’s when she noticed the guilt and worry creeping in his blue eyes. Oh shit. “But I have to leave immediately. Jane called. Claire has a high fever, and she’s worried the cold she’s been fighting has turned into something more serious. She’s freaking out, and my parents are insisting that we take her to see Dr. Strange as soon as possible. I need to head home ASAP, but I can still drop you off at the club if you’re ready?”

A nauseous wave of fear and nerves swept over her and she wanted to screech desperately, _"YOU CAN’T LEAVE, THOR! I need you here. I can’t do this without you. I can’t face Loki alone!"_ But she kept the shrieks inside. Pushed her fear down deep and instead replied, “Of course, you have to leave. Jane needs you way more than me. Go home and take care of your baby. I-I’ve got this. I think…It’s just...If Lo-Loki does come with me, how do we get back home? Take a taxi to the airport I’m guessing?” 

Thor cleared his throat, not quite meeting her eyes. “Don’t worry about that. I have it all worked out. All you have to do is talk to him face to face, and the rest will sort itself out.”

Anne arched a skeptical eyebrow. “Sort itself out? Sorry to be a Doubting Darla, but I’m going to need a little more explanation than that.”

“That’s all I can give you. You have to trust me, Anne. I have it covered.”

Taking a deep shuddering breath she tried to shoo away her rising skepticism and fear again. He’d always looked out for her, never given her a moment of doubt, so she was just going to have to take a step of faith for him. “Thor, if it was anybody else, I would be freaking the fuck out right now, but I’m going to trust you, buddy. But! I better get a full explanation from you when I get home. Deal?”

“Deal. If we leave now, I should be able to get you there in time for the club’s opening. This way you shouldn’t have to wait as long to get in.”

 _If I get in…_ she wanted to argue back, but instead just shut the door behind her. “Wait. What about my luggage? How’s that going to get home? Thor? Thor?? THOR!”

***

It was a frickin’ miracle. That’s all it could be. A bona fide, 100% Grade A miracle. She’d walked up to the bouncer, all prepared with a speech and a crisp fifty, but before she could even sputter one word, she was waved towards the doorway with a terse “You’re in.” And now, here she was once again standing inside Loki’s domain. Maybe this is what Thor meant by saying he was taking care of things? She sighed as she leaned against the column she was hiding behind. But how was she going to get up to that office? There was no way she was going to get a repeat performance of last night’s luck.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the mysterious Miss Anne.”

She whirled around to find a familiar gaunt face beaming down at her. “Janus! Oh I’m so glad to see you. Oh my gosh, I really have to apologize for how I reacted last night when I saw-uh-” She dropped her voice to a whisper, “-um-your fangs.”

“My dear, you don’t have to whisper. At least half of the people in here are a ‘creature of the night’ of some sort. It would be more shocking if I wasn’t a vampire.”

Heat flooded her cheeks. She was such an idiot. _Earth, swallow me now._ “I am so sorry. Again. I-I really really don’t fit in here. Open mouth. Insert foot. I just need to get back to my pets and my easel and pencils and-and my boring bran flake life.”

“Pencils and easel? Are you an artist by chance?”

“Sort of. I write and illustrate children’s books.” She couldn’t keep away a smile even as she self consciously tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She didn’t mean to reveal anything about her personal life, but she truly did love her job. Even if it wasn’t nearly as exciting as the environment she was currently standing in. Even if most people didn’t consider it a real job. 

“Really? Which ones?”

“Oh! Well let’s see… There's _Penelope the Congested Dragon_ , _Yoshi the Mermaid Who Couldn’t Float_ , and _Walter the Vegetarian Werewolf_ to name a few...but-but I’m sure you haven’t read them. My audience is strictly the first grade and younger demographic.”

“Are you shitting me??” Janus blinked as a full fanged grin split his ghostly face. “You’re Anne Chambers? _THE_ Anne Chambers??? I’ve read every single one of your books! My entire coven has! We love your work. The way you capture both the humor, the oddity and-and even the pain that comes with being a creature like me? It’s sheer genius! I can’t believe you’re actually a human! You understand us so well. For some reason I always pictured you as being a selkie or something. Anne Chambers… I can’t believe I ran into you here. Wait until I tell my coven! They’ll be so jealous they didn’t come with me tonight. They decided a Florence and The Machine concert was more important. Well, I’ll show them!”

More heat flooded her face, but this time it was from flattered pride. “Well I can’t believe someone as cool as you has actually read them.”

“Nonsense, darling! Your books are works of art. You must allow me to buy you a drink. It’s the least I can do for all the joy you’ve brought into my life through your amazing stories.”

Well then, this night was certainly taking a turn for the better. “Alright. I’d love that.”

“Anne Chambers in my club!” He crowed again with delight as he led her towards the bar. There she ordered a glass of pinot noir while he got an absinthe drip. She was pretty sure he ordered alcohol just to be polite. He probably didn’t think she could handle watching him down a glass of O Positive, and he’d be right. They found a seat around an ancient holy water font that had been converted into a table, the sacred water long dried up. Their table happened to be directly across from the confessional, but from what Anne could tell the couples stumbling into them were definitely not going to be confessing any sins while sequestered in the carved ebony cubicles.

“By the way...” Anne swirled her wine glass, darting her eyes from the lusty scene in front of her to the deep scarlet liquid spinning in the crystal like a miniature whirlpool. “Have you ever met the owner of this place?”

“I have. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious… But umm… if someone happened to want to talk to them, do you know how to get a hold of them? Can a person just visit their office, or do they have uh- office hours?” _Office hours, really? You’re back on that bullshit again, Captain Awkward?_

Janus tilted his head, his black eyes seemingly peering right through the nonchalant facade she was trying desperately to maintain. “Loki Odinson is quite the enigma and not someone you want to cross. The only way to reach Loki is through his bodyguard Heimdall, and trust me, it’s on a strictly invite only basis.”

Heimdall. So that was the guard’s name!

“So tell me. Why are you really here, Anne? You don’t seem like the type to visit a place like this just for the thrill of it. Why are you so interested in Abyss’ owner- Oh fuck. Speak of the Devil…”

Anne froze at the look of shock and curiosity widening Janus’ eyes. Oh shit. Was it Loki walking towards them? It had to be, right? She was too terrified to look up so keeping her eyes locked on her wine glass, she whispered, “Who-who is it?” Under the table she crossed all her fingers and toes that it wasn’t Loki...not yet anyways. She needed at least two more glasses of wine in her before she faced him.

“Heimdall himself! He rarely comes out on the floor. What in the hell is he doing- Sweet Lucifer! He’s heading our way!”

Against her will, Anne’s eyes darted up. There was no way- _meep_! Glowing bronze eyes met hers and there was no denying it. He was striding right towards them, the crowd in front of him parting like the sea to let him through. 

“Ma’am? Please come with me. Mr. Odinson would like a word.” His husky baritone voice drawing several sets of curious eyes to their table.

Oh nonononono… Her eyes flitted towards the entrance. Was there any chance she could outrun him and make it outside before he caught her? 

_Hello? Idiot? One: There’s no way in hell you could outrun him. Two: He’s taking you to Loki! This is what you’re here for! Remember?!_

“Oh...Okay?” She wheezed. 

Immediately Heimdall turned and began walking towards the office entrance, not even sparing a backwards glance as if he knew that she would be right on his heels. He was right because she meekly followed him across the club floor, distractedly throwing Janus a wave over her shoulder.

“Who are you, Anne Chambers??” Janus whispered, shaking his head in worry tinged wonder as he watched his new friend trailing after the broad shouldered guard.

***

_Please, come back..._

Gods, he was stilll fucking disgusted with himself for even thinking those pitiful words. After all this time he was still such a weak fool. You’d think he’d learned his lesson years ago, but obviously not.

Nearly a day had passed since she’d been within reach. It had taken nearly twenty of those hours to wrestle his emotions back under armed guard, but now Loki was finally ready to face Anne again. There would be no surprises tonight. _He_ would have the upper hand, not her. Because he couldn’t risk her distracting him from the task at hand. Not when he was so close to taking Laufey down once and for all. The _Haustblot_ ball was only days away and nothing, nothing would keep him from exacting the revenge he’d been planning since he was 21. He simply had to send one, short red haired menace packing and all his plans would be back on track.

Brushing aside the nymph currently walking her fingers up his thigh, he jumped up from the couch and went to the wall of windows overlooking the club floor. His sigil had notified him that Anne was on the premises almost half an hour ago, but for some reason Heimdall still hadn’t brought her upstairs. Scanning the floor below, he spotted his ginger sitting at a table with a certain vampire, their heads almost touching as they leaned forward in intense conversation. Well then. She’d certainly dressed for battle tonight. She looked like the frontwoman for a rage metal band who did a bit of bounty hunting on the side. Despite himself, he couldn’t help but admire the way those jeans were embracing her hips and ass… _Shit! No! What are you doing?! Are you seriously checking her out? You fucking idiot. Remember where that got you last time?_

 _“Heimdall!”_ He barked in his head guard’s mind. _“Why is that woman talking with Janus?! I told you to bring her up to me as soon as she walked through the doors. Instead I’m looking down at her right now and you know what she’s doing? She’s become drinking buddies with our resident vampire!”_

_“My humblest apologies, sir. We had an incident with the werewolf pack again. It took both Dagmar and I to get them off the premises and even then it wasn’t until I brought out my knives and Dagmar flashed her Sword that they finally decided to move along.”_

He grunted, reluctantly acknowledging that it must have been truly more dire than Heimdall was letting on if Dagmar drew her gun, a Luger 9mm or as she liked to call it, her Sword. Dagmar always kept it loaded with several rounds of silver tipped hollow point bullets. Ammunition specifically designed to take out werewolves, but would also work just as well on most living things, supernatural or otherwise. _“Fine. Just go get her now.”_

He marched back to the crimson leather couch and threw himself down, sprawling his legs wide as the three nymphs occupying the couch curled back around him. The one who’d been fondling his thigh resumed her ministrations, her shimmery skin glinting violet under the blacklights overhead. Another nymph, her breasts barely covered by two scraps of midnight blue satin held together by gold chains, handed him a tumbler of scotch. Absinthe would’ve been more fitting for a king of the underground, but he despised the anise flavored spirit. Even as a boy he’d hated licorice and anything that even remotely tasted like it. 

With a low growl, he let the fairies surrounding him lull him into readiness. He’d arranged everything about this meeting to give him the advantage. From the nearly naked women to the lack of light. Everything was positioned to put Anne off balance and assault her senses. 

To show her that she had no power here. 

To show her whose world she’d dared to enter. 

To show her that he would not fall prey to any of the honey covered schemes that she might be planning on attempting to snare him in. 

Because she had to be here for some kind of ulterior motive. There was absolutely no way she was here simply to visit an old acquaintance. The last time he’d seen her, he’d informed her in no uncertain terms that he never wanted to see her again. Heaving another sigh, he leaned his head against the smooth leather, closing his eyes as slender fingers whispered across the taut fabric covering his groin. A satisfied smile curled up the corners of his mouth as he fixed his hearing to any shred of sound outside his door. He was in control. Not her. Not that wide eyed betrayer.

There. 

A footstep. And another. 

_Knock. Knock._

The smile turned into a devilish grin. 

_Showtime._

***

The smoked glass door, its surface etched with writhing serpents and thorn covered vines, swung open on silent hinges. Heimdall jerked his head towards the opening, beckoning Anne to step into the darkened room. For a split second she thought again of turning tail and running, but then she remembered Thor’s weary, pleading face as he said goodbye to her tonight. With that reminder of why she was strolling into this particular leopard’s den, she took a bracing breath and steadied herself for what was about to come.

The door shut behind her with a barely audible click, leaving her total darkness. Was she locked in here?? Locked in until Loki deigned to see her? A tendril of fear slithered along her spine. Gradually her eyes adjusted, and she realized that the room wasn’t a black hole. It was actually lit with blacklights and muted neon.

“Hello, Barbara Anne.”

Chills crashed over her, and she nearly dropped to her knees in what almost felt like relief as that familiar purring voice stroked her ears for the first time in years. Heart in her throat, she turned towards the voice. Like a starving bird, her eyes gobbled up the beautiful man sprawled in front of her.

Nearly all traces of the curious, sarcastic boy had been wiped away and in their place was an aloof, regal man with flinty kohl lined eyes and a knowing sneer. Neck length ebony hair swept over a steely jaw and cut glass cheekbones. An unbuttoned black Victorian militia officers jacket, silver embroidery embellishing the high collar and lapels, covered his shoulders. Underneath the jacket was a simple charcoal deep v-neck tee which revealed a defined chest with black tattoos swirling across the pale skin. So, so, so many more tattoos than she remembered… Her eyes dropped to gleaming lace up boots encasing his calves. Tucked into the boots were skin tight black jeans which hugged his slim hips and stretched across a... slightly bulging crotch? That’s when she realized a delicate hand was caressing that particular portion of his anatomy. Shocked, her eyes flew up to his smug gaze and she at last fully absorbed the scene she walked into. 

Laid out before her was a lusty tableau. Two glittering pastel skinned women sharing the couch with him were wrapped around each other so tightly you almost couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. Hands and mouths were everywhere as their nubile bodies writhed against each other. Hands sliding under skirts and into waistbands. Fingers stroking breasts. Mouths licking along necks and devouring lips. On the other side of Loki was a young woman with aspen green hair and shimmering violet skin, her half naked body tightly pressed into his side. He had one large, possessive hand wrapped around her silky thigh while her slender hands stroked his chest and thickening groin. To her shock and horror, she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off that mesmerizing hand, some deeply repressed part of her psyche wracked with jealousy and longing that that hand wasn’t hers.

“What? No hello for an old friend?” He laughed mockingly.

“I-I-I-” she stuttered, desperately tearing her eyes from that hand. “H-h-hello, Loki…”

The old Cheshire grin that she knew so well creased his lips and crinkled his eyes. All the air left her lungs. To see that beloved smile he’d once used to gently tease her now being used to deliberately mock and insult? It felt a sucker punch straight to the gut.

“Well look at that, Barbara Anne actually can speak! So what can I do for you this evening? Perhaps you want to join in on the fun my lovely friends and I are having? There’s always room for more.”

“What?! NO!” She yelped, the sharp cry echoing through the room.

“No? Come now, surely you need to let off a little steam. Why I can see the tension in those shoulders all the way from here,” he crooned. “All right then if you’re not here to play with us, then perhaps you need a favor? Are you yet another shame riddled supplicant come crawling to me on their knees, begging me to save their shitty business or pathetic spouse from ruin? Is that what you need, Barbara? To save a mewling boyfriend or husband?”

“No, I’m not here to-to join in on your fun or for a favor.” She stated as calmly as she could. “I just- could I please talk with you in private? Please?”

“Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my friends. Isn’t that right, ladies?” Immediately all three fey creatures stopped their activities and locked their iridescent eyes on her. She took a shaky step back. It was absolutely unnerving to have three such beautiful women staring right at you, their unnatural beauty almost taking her breath away. Without a doubt the trio would’ve been stunning to see in their human forms, but to see the three of them free from their usual glamour? Talk about feeling like a pig next to a treasure chest full of pearls. 

One of them, the one who’d been fondling Loki, looked her up and down, cocked a mocking eyebrow at her as she trilled with a pitying laugh. “Of course, Loki!” Embarrassment and old shame reverberated through her, and she locked her eyes on the woolly ivory rug under her feet in reaction. She'd seen that look, heard that same laugh too many times in the past.

“See? They’re fine with it! So go on, say what you’ve come to say! Before I run out of patience.” He finished with a softly menacing growl.

“Loki. Please...I just need a few minutes alone. _Please._ ” She quietly repeated her plea, not daring to meet those piercing eyes.

Silence crept by on sluggish legs. It stretched out so long that she finally dared a glance up through her lashes. Right as she did, he leapt up and barked, “FINE. You have five minutes and not a single second more.”

The women on the couch began whimpering at the loss of their plaything, but he ignored them as he stormed past her. Gapemouthed, she just stared at his retreating back.

“Well?!” He barked again from the now open doorway. “I don’t have all day, Barbie.”

“Uh, right. Okay,” she mumbled as she hurried to join him. As she was leaving, Anne glanced back at the women. The couple had already resumed their previous activities only this time with even more enthusiasm. The violet girl, however, was staring back at Anne, her opal eyes glinting with loathing and suspicion. She shivered internally, but chose to ignore the intuition currently screeching at her to pay attention. She’d simply have to file that look away and analyze it later. 

As soon as the door closed behind them, all traces of the Lothario on the couch immediately disappeared as he scowled at her. “What!? What do you have to say that is so fucking important that you tried to break into my office last night and even after failing at that attempt, you’re back here again? What is it? Tell me!”

He stalked towards her, closing the distance between them in two long strides. He glared down at her with such ferocity that she actually thought he might grab her by the scruff of the neck and shake her like a terrier with a rabbit. Instead, a switch was flipped. The scowl morphed into a smile so blatantly seductive that she stumbled backwards as her knees melted. Emotional whiplash much? He stepped even closer to her, crowding so close that his chest was merely a hairsbreadth from hers. 

“Tell me, darling.” He repeated, his heated breath tickling her lips and making the fine hairs on her neck stand up. Just when she thought he couldn’t get any closer, he was, the heat of him molding into her skin. He brushed all along her until he was behind her, his lean hips pressing into her bottom. Anne’s breath caught and her eyes widened. Was that- Oh lord, it was. That was most definitely a semi hard erection nestling into her curves.

_Oh lord oh lord oh lord oh lord..._

She didn’t know whether to cry or scream or start laughing out of sheer hysteria. This entire evening had been an complete shit show from the start. From the moment Thor knocked on her hotel room door until now, she’d been grasping at anything to set her back upright, but any scrap of control was nowhere to be found. So since she was already careening down the tracks on a one way trip to crazy town, Anne allowed herself to do something she normally would never let herself do. She began fantasizing about what it would be like to let this scene play out. What it would be like to push her hips back into him. To feel all that heat and blatant masculinity pressing as close as a second skin. To have him rock back into her with aching slowness. To have him run his hands over her waist and then grasp her hips as they moved against each other...

Satisfaction thrummed through Loki as he caught that tiny gasp. He had her. She’d walked right into his trap, and he only had to click the lock into place. And yet...gods, she felt so good against him. He’d only been this close to her once before, but that encounter had ended in destruction. She was all warmth and lush curves that made the toothsome creatures in his office look like skeletons. What would she do if he kept going? Trailed kisses along the swirling galaxy of freckles along the sides of her neck before nipping at the pulse racing under her skin. Took both her hips in his hands and began grinding against her with aching slowness. Traced his fingers along the undersides of her breasts, over her belly and lower...lower... lower until he reached the molten heat between her thighs. 

_You asinine fool. You’re letting her control you again! Stop thinking with your dick! Or worse yet... your heart._

“Did Thor send you?” Came an insidious whisper, his words like a slap jerking her out of her torrid daydream. “Are you and my brother in this together? Wait. Are you fucking him? Is that how he conned you into coming here? That has to be it! You’re so scared poor little Jane might find out that you’re screwing her hubby that you-“

Fury roared through her. How _dare_ he. With a practiced swing (thanks, big brother) she wheeled around and slammed her fist straight into his gut.

“ _OOF!!!_ What the hell, Anne??!!” He wheezed as he doubled over and nearly collapsed on the ground. She almost doubled over herself hearing him call her “Anne” again. For two heartbreaking seconds, he sounded just like her old Loki.

“Listen up, jackass!” She ground out with hushed fury, refusing to allow herself to feel anything else. “One: I would never ever betray my friends like that. Especially not my best friend-“

“Ha! Well obviously we were never friends because you sure as hell didn’t have a problem betraying-“

Anne swallowed hard around the guilt constricting her throat but refused to let him distract her. They simply did not have the time to drag up old history. “Two: Thor?! You think Thor and I are sleeping together? _Gross._ Three: I’m here literally trying to save your life, and you’re acting like some kind of pervy douchebag! The reason I’m here is because your brother sent me to tell you-”

“Thor?! I knew he was behind this! I knew my stupid, bullheaded holier than thou brother put you up to this!”

“Shut. Up. Loki. And just listen for once in your miserable life. You’re in danger!”

“Yes, I know. I’m careening down the path of moral desolation mere seconds away from being beyond the reach of redemption. Blah, blah, blah. Heard it all before. New story, please. Oh and would you look at that? You’re out of time. Thank you for coming, good night, and tell my bastard brother to fuck the hell off!”

“Good god, you idiot! You just love the sound of your own voice, don’t you? Your _life_ is in danger. Someone is trying to kill you!” She dropped her voice to a murmur, “They-they know about your real plans for the ball this weekend. Somehow Thor found out about it too. That’s why he sent me here. Since you won’t allow him on your property, he asked me to warn you and to get you to safety.”

He rolled his eyes, “I’m not scared of some two bit hitman, and I’m sure as hell not putting my life’s work into your puny hands. What do either of you even know about my world and the dangers in it?”

He meant to sound jaded, but she knew him. Knew him as well as her own brother, and she could hear the worry tingeing that flippant statement.

“Loki, please. I know whatever friendship we once had is shattered to pieces, but if there’s even a shred of it left, please come with me.” The steely look in his eyes softened ever so slightly. A glimmer of hope decided to poke out its head. Impulsively she grabbed his hands. As soon as their skin met, a scalding heat flared between them.

The heat erupted and turned into a whirlwind of blue and copper sparks that surrounded them on all sides, the rushing wind so loud they could barely hear each other. “What the hell is happening??” He yelled, tugging at his hands. “Let go of me!”

“I don’t know!” Anne cried, desperately yanking her own hands, but she couldn’t free them. It was as if someone had spilled a whole jar of superglue on them. “I can’t!”

“What do you think you’re playing at?! Undo this spell immediately!”

“You think _I_ cast this spell?? ME?! Are you out of your mind?? I’m telling you! I didn’t do this!”

Right as she uttered that last exclamation, the whirlwind turned to a blinding white tornado that completely enveloped them. Anne felt her feet begin to lift off the ground. Oh shit… With a savage yank, Loki pulled at their hands one last time. Only this time instead of trying to pull away from her, he pulled her towards him. She collided with his chest and he instinctively curled himself around her. Not a half second later, it was as if they were being sucked through a giant vacuum tube. She couldn’t breath. She couldn’t hear. She couldn’t see anything but the white void they were tumbling through. Terrified, she huddled against the only thing solid, the only thing that was real. Loki’s firm chest against hers. 

It felt like an eternity passed.

It felt like two seconds.

Time lost all meaning. 

Until.

With a dull thud they collided with a unyielding surface, Loki still hunched around her to try to soften the landing. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough because her bad hip was the first thing to hit the ground. Pain ricocheted through her entire left side. She gritted her teeth around a groan and pushed aside the agony pulsing through her. She hesitantly pried her eyes open, half afraid that some god awful creature might be eagerly waiting to make them its next meal. Instead of an unholy terror, two furry faces stared down at them curiously.

“Phil? _Morty??_ ”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Once again, I'm so sorry for taking to long to post a new chapter *insert facepalm* No excuses, just all my apologies! This is a bit of a filler chapter, but I hope y'all enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Anne squinted up at the familiar faces. She must be hallucinating. That was it. Someone had slipped something into her wine, and this was the result. Either that or she’d cracked her skull and was now the proud owner of a serious concussion.

_SLURP!_

A slimy tongue right across the mouth brought reality crashing down around her. There was no way on earth that the stench of Morty’s kibble breath wasn’t real. She sat up so quickly the room spun slightly, and stared at the familiar surroundings, taking in the cream cupboards and maple floor of her kitchen. She was home. _Home._ But how in the name of Jan Brett had they gotten here?

Grunting at her sudden movement, the man halfway sprawled across her body flopped over onto his back, his hands surreptitiously patting the ground under him as if to make sure the ground was real. Little by little reality continued to sift back into place. His hands… That meant- that meant they were no longer stuck together! 

“Fucking hell,” Loki groaned. “Where are we?”

“My house-” Wow. The noise squeaking from her mouth could barely even be called a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. “My house. But how-”

Loki bolted to his feet and glared down at her. “Your _house_?!” he bit out. “Out of every square inch on this planet we could possibly land, we just happen to tumble into your house? Oh of course! Sure! Why the hell not??” 

Oh there was no way in hell that she was going to just sit here with Loki glowering down at her. She moved to stand up, but just as she was getting to her feet, her bad leg caved, forcing her to sprawl back in an awkward heap. _Nooooo, please god no. I cannot show any sign of weakness right now. Not in front of him._ She grit her teeth and tried again, but it was no use. Her leg wasn’t having any of it. She’d simply asked too much of her body lately. It was her own fault. She’d gotten lazy and been skipping her PT exercises for the last couple weeks. She could blame it on the fact that she had the deadline for her next book barreling down on her and next to zero free time, but it was a crappy excuse. She knew better, and now her pride was paying the price. She blew the strands of hair dangling in her face with a frustrated huff. The only way she was getting up off this floor was to army crawl across the hardwood so she could use a barstool to hoist herself up. _Kill me, now._

“Here.” A gruff voice rumbled in Anne’s ear as hands wrapped around her waist, lifted her up, and set her on her feet

Strangely gentle that made sure her good leg took most of her weight. 

Strong hands that picked her up like she weighed nothing. 

Warm hands that felt like they were burning through her clothing and branding the skin underneath. 

Then they were gone. Gone and her skin was now freezing where it had only a second ago been so heated. 

“Thanks,” she whispered, trying to gather her composure around her like a security blanket even as she was still breathtakingly rattled by Loki’s touch, his sheer physical strength. Between the two brothers everybody obviously always called Thor the strong one, but even though Loki was slimmer than his brother, that lean body was corded with muscle. He had the kind of strength that took a person completely by surprise. Even someone who’d known him for years.

She stared at her hands trying to avoid making eye contact with Loki. 

Her hands…

The only sign that they’d been glued to Loki’s was a rapidly fading pink flush. She was almost surprised to find that they weren’t raw after being bound together by that searing heat. 

_Heat._

Thor’s hands clasping hers last night... For a split second, it’d felt like they’d been holding hands over a campfire... _Oh that sneaky bastard!_

Anne heaved a sigh, “Loki, I swear to you that I don’t know how we got stuck together. I don't know how we were sucked into that Lite Brite tornado. And I don’t know how in the hell we ended up in my kitchen with my pets staring down at us like we were two aliens who’d just crash landed on Earth!!” She paused, trying to collect herself. “But I think I know who might be behind it all.” 

“Two nights ago your brother showed up unannounced at my door. I had no idea he was coming here and then suddenly he was sitting on my couch and dropping a nuclear information bomb on me. In typical Thor fashion he pulled no punches when he told me about the plot to kill you. I know you probably won’t believe me, but I-I got upset when he told me that someone was trying to murder you. So naturally Thor comforted me. He held my hands-”

Loki began cursing under his breath. “I’m pretty sure I know what happens next. Hot hands? Not just warm, but a few degrees short of burning the skin off your palms?”

Startled, she stared at him. “Yeah, how did you know?”

“I never thought it could ever happen, but it appears that that oversized two legged golden retriever has finally developed a little finesse with his spell work.”

“What do you mean?”

“When he held your hands, he embedded both a binding and transportation spell into your skin. All it took was a shared touch for the magic to be activated.” Begrudging admiration colored his words. 

“I have to admit that was a tricky bit of spellwork, but now that we have that all figured out, it’s time for me to get back to Charleston,” he stated nonchalantly as he pulled a phone out of his pocket.

“What?! Are you serious?? You can’t go!” Anne snatched the phone out of his hand. There was no way she was going to let him go back tonight. Not after all they’d been through to get him here. “Loki, you still have a monster planning on murdering you back there. How can you even think of going back?”

“Well I’m certainly not about to cower away up here in South Canada and hide out from some washed up evil super villain. No fucking way. Now give me back my phone.” He held out his hand expectantly.

“No! I mean- I mean- Can’t you at least wait until tomorrow? You won’t be able to do anything at this hour anyways. Why don’t you sleep on my couch?!” She blurted out and immediately regretted the offer that had spewed out of her mouth without permission. _Alright. What the actual hell? Did you really just tell him that he could stay the night? Here? With you?? Only one room away???_

Loki peered at her like she was an insect that he couldn’t decide if he should study or squash. “Normally, I would be laughing in your face, but I think I’ll take you up on your offer. After all, I’m assuming you’re going to call Thor first thing in the morning and try to convince him to do something about me right?”

“Well-”

“Good. I can’t wait for the chance to tear my brother to shreds after what he pulled tonight. I’ll make myself comfortable for the night here then.” With that he plunked himself down on her couch and plopped his boots right on the converted ship hatch coffee table.

Anne groaned inwardly again at her big mouth and propensity for verbal diarrhea. “There’s a couple blankets and an extra pillow in that cedar chest against the wall.”

“Great. Good night.”

Did he really just dismiss her? In her own house? Irritation flared in her chest, but it quickly burned out. There was no point arguing with him. She was exhausted, and under that cool exterior she could tell he was absolutely livid at their current situation. There was no point in trying to discuss anything else when he was in this mood. It would only end in frustrated tears for her and more anger for him. So she should just take the small victory that he wasn’t going back to Charleston tonight and go to bed. He was safe for this moment, that’s all that mattered.

“Good night,” she murmured and headed towards her room, Morty right on her heels.   
As she shut the door behind her, she muttered one last time, “What a night.”

***

Loki yanked a feather pillow out of the cedar chest and proceeded to pummel it out of sheer frustration. Gods, this night hadn’t gone remotely close to plan. And now- _Now!_ With just the simple act of helping Anne up he’d just proved once again how soft he still was. And yet… Just because he was an asshole didn’t mean that he was completely heartless. He knew that her leg had to be killing her. He’d been watching her favor it all night, and then to add to that pain he’d landed right on her when they’d crashed onto the floor. So as he watched her fight to simply get her feet under her, guilt had welled up in him. Guilt because the root of her pain was his fault. So for a moment, guilt had won out over frustrated anger, and he found his hands wrapping themselves around Anne’s waist and lifting her off the floor, making sure she was steady before releasing her. He certainly hadn’t been tempted to let his hands linger on her waist. Nope, not at all.

And then, despite himself, he believed what she’d told him about what had happened when Thor had taken her hands which frustrated him more. He needed someone to blame, but it wasn’t her. She was a mortal. Free of magic and any other supernatural abilities. But that still didn’t excuse her completely. She’d still conspired with Thor to get him away from Abyss and by doing so completely obliterated his plans for Laufey. Now, he was going to have to start over completely from scratch. Six years of carefully laid plans gone to shit in less than an hour.

As he tore off his jacket and t-shirt and kicked off his boots and then threw himself onto the plush couch, his brain went straight back to anger. His brother would pay for what he’d done.

But what if… 

What if she was right? What if Laufey already knew what he’d been planning and was just toying with him once again?

Argh!! His normal laser focus was splintered in a thousand different directions.

_“Mrow?”_

Loki jumped slightly as he realized that Anne’s massive Siamese was staring at him from the opposite end of the couch. “Yeah? You agree with me that I should pummel Thor’s idiotic face as soon as I see him? Thanks, pal. Glad someone’s on my side.”

He rolled over and faced the back of the couch. Without his permission, his eyes grew heavy. His final thought before succumbing to unconsciousness was about a soft, supple waist in his hands and how much he hadn’t wanted to let it go.

***

Anne woke from a troubled sleep to find a pair of droopy brown eyes watching her. She’d tossed and turned all night, and had gotten maybe four hours sleep total, but hey, it was four hours more than she’d gotten the night before. One look at those sappy, adoring eyes and her lack of sleep seemed a little less important. Morty was resting his chin on the mattress, his eyebrows twitching expectantly at her. She smiled at him. “Time for a walk, buddy?”

With a low _“Wuff”_ he bounded backwards, tail waving happily as he watched her crawl out of bed. Every morning this was their routine. Morty would stare at her until she woke up, and they would go out on a walk. Once upon a time she had grand illusions of training Phil to walk on a leash so they could make it a family affair, but that had obviously ended in failure and a healthy application of Neosporin.

Throwing on her usual workout ensemble and doing her best to channel her Marine Raider brother, she stealthy crept from her room to the kitchen door, avoiding every creaky floorboard she could. If she could just sneak out and get a bit of fresh air before she went Round 2 with her witchy guest, that would be peachy. 

It wasn’t until the second she snapped Morty’s leash into place on his collar that she dared to dart a glance at the lanky form on her couch. Her heart melted into a marshmallow as she took in the long legs dangling over the edge of the couch. _Oh dear. Time to go, Anne! Otherwise you’re going to turn into a full blown Rice Crispy Treat._

Skittering outside without a second look, she tugged Morty through the backyard and side gate. Her feet hit the concrete sidewalk, and she took a deep breath of early autumn air, the scent of pine and damp leaves immediately calming her thoughts. As she settled into a steady pace, she realized how much she’d needed this. No tension, no worry, no guilt and certainly no completely inappropriate attraction to someone who hated her guts. Just some fresh air, a little mindless exercise, even if the muscles in her legs were screaming a bit as they stretched out, and her dog by her side. 

Much too quickly though the faux sense of contentment disappeared, and she found herself begrudgingly dialing Thor’s number. She hated that she was proving Loki right, but it was only polite. Afterall, Thor had only called sixteen times and left five voicemails. He answered halfway through the first ring.

“Thank Borr. I was afraid I’d never hear from you. Did it work? Is Loki with you? Are you-”

“Hey, Thor? Buddy? Pal?-- WHAT THE HELL??” _Wow. What happened to a simple good morning there, Anne? No, you know what? He deserves a good chewing out and more for what he put me through._ “Why didn’t you warn me that as soon as I laid a single finger on that brother of yours I’d be sucked into a tornado straight out of some kind of Rainbow Brite hellscape?! And then! AND THEN! Do you know what happened?? We crash land in my kitchen! MY KITCHEN, THOR!”.

“Anne?” Thor gently interjected. “If I may?”

She huffed, “Fine.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I should’ve told you, but I didn’t. That was wrong of me.” 

Mollified ever so slightly she replied, “Thank you, but Thor- Why couldn’t you at least have given me a little warning that I’d be playing host to Loki? Just a teeny tiny hint would’ve made things so much better.”

“I know. I know! It’s just- It’s just with everything I’d already dropped onto your plate, I was afraid that if I told you I was putting a spell on you to transport my brother, you’d run away screaming.” 

“Hey now, I’d like to think I’m a bit more dignified than that. I would’ve given a very ladylike gasp and then quietly and calmly walked away.” Thor gave a relieved snort of laughter at her attempt at levity. “So is that it? No other spells?”

“Um… We-e-e-ll, uh maybe I better just come up there and explain the rest to you. I can be there this afternoon if that works? Just uh- don’t leave the house until I get there, alright?”

Whoops. Too late for that, but going for a little walk couldn’t hurt, right? She wasn’t going far. “Okay, that’s fine. I’ll try to prep Loki the best I can, but no promises of a warm welcome from him.”

“Oh I’m already expecting the full brunt of Loki’s fury as soon as I step foot into your house. See you soon, Ginger.”

“Bye.” Hanging up, she slowed her pace to a stop. Awareness crept in. Whoa. How did she wind up on Sycamore Street? She must’ve walked at least two miles already. At the exact same moment she was glancing at the fitness tracker app on her phone, something crashed into the massive clump of dogwood at the street corner. The crash was immediately followed by a muffled yelp. She stumbled back. Hackles raised and a menacing growl rumbling in his chest, Morty pushed his way in front of her. Her normally sweet, giant baby of a dog never reacted like this to anything. The yelps turned to violent cursing.Whatever was in that bush must be big, and it was PISSED. 

_Oooooh. Shit. Time to go._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My brain: "Don't make this another filler chapter. Don't make this another filler chapter. Don't. Do. It.  
> Me: "Well anyways, here's another filler chapter, guys!"  
> My brain: *FACE PALM*
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it even it is a filler. ;D I feel like we do make a little progress though! Next one will be more plot heavy...fingers crossed. Thank y'all for reading! 
> 
> Also Trigger Warning for a very brief mention of suicidal thoughts in this chapter.

One second he’d been reaching for his shirt and the next Loki found himself balls deep in a massive dogwood bush with branches raking across his bare chest. Every curse word in his vocabulary came barreling out of his mouth. What the hell was going on? Had he somehow lost all control of his body and spatial awareness and-and now was simply a puppet for Thor?? His blood seethed at the thought. The bastard would _pay_.

A menacing growl came from the other side of the bush. Instincts on high alert, Loki broke off a twig and touched the tiny blade shaped tattoo on his shoulder. He needed to be prepared for whatever waited for him on the other side of this understudy for Audrey II. With a subtle golden glow, the twig transformed into a dagger with a bone hilt. He shuddered in relief at the appearance of the knife, his fears slightly abated. At least he still had some of his powers. Bracing himself for an attack, he gripped the knife along his thigh and cautiously parted the branches, ignoring the gravel jabbing into his bare feet. 

Instead of a hulking, drooling creature preparing to devour him, his eyes met the wary, chocolate eyes of a- _dog?!_ An enormous dog with impressive teeth bared in warning, but still just a dog. His shoulders relaxed a fraction of an inch only to immediately tense up again. 

_Hold on._

This moose sized mutt looked familiar. A sharp gasp tore his gaze from the canine and with a silent groan he realized why he knew this beast. 

_Oh for fuck’s sake._

“Good morning, Barbara Anne.”

***

_Shit shit shit shit..._

Anne froze in horror as a man shoved his way out of the shrubbery. The man was shirtless and wearing low slung black jeans. Tattoos covered every square inch of his upper torso and arms. Lean muscles rippling in those arms as he slapped branches out of his way. Loki. One look at that chest and the repressed cavewoman side of her brain began crooning, _“Hnnngggg...PREEEEETTYY.”_ Completely without her permission, heat began simmering low in her belly. Even his snide greeting couldn’t distract her from ogling his frankly delectable body.

_Oh dear._

Last night she’d glimpsed some of those tattoos peeking out of his neckline, but seeing them all at once in broad daylight? 

Breathtaking. 

Bewildering. 

Beautiful. 

They were strangely harmonious, even though they shouldn’t be. Geometric shapes next to runes, plants chasing animal silhouettes, and swirling galaxies surrounding letters. Nothing was cohesive, but they all combined to make an exotic tapestry across his torso. A tapestry that her fingers itched to caress, her tongue watering to trace every shape and sigil... _oh you are in trouuuble, honey... Wait. Hold the frickin’ phone._ Reason finally decided to make an appearance and shove Mooga the Horny Cavewoman aside and resume its rightful spot in her head. Why was Loki in that overgrown shrub? And how in the hell did he get there?? 

“What are you doing here, Loki?!” she hissed, the shock at seeing him climb out the greenery now replaced by anger. “Are you seriously following me? God, I can’t even go for a walk by myself now! Is that it? And for shit’s sake is that a _dagger??_ ”

***

“WHAT?!”

She dared to sound like the victim here?! Hell. No. She wasn’t the one who’d been merely trying to get dressed only to, without even a whisper of warning, find himself fighting to free himself from a malicious piece of vegetation and after that fight confronting a vicious animal. _Her_ vicious animal, he might add. From awful to horrible, this morning - _this week_ just kept getting worse.

It had been bad enough to wake up to the sound of footsteps in a strange house you’d only seen in shadows and lamplight. To open your eyes to completely foreign surroundings and then have the realization slam into you yet again that your life’s mission, everything you’d worked for had, all gone to shit. But now to find out he could be transported at someone else’s whim? This was the ultimate loss of control. _Fuck you, Thor._

As he strode towards her, he thought back to earlier this morning. He’d known instantly that it was Anne’s furtive steps that had woke him, her slightly uneven gait was unmistakable. Through slitted eyes he’d watched her leave with that walking mountain she called a dog. Figuring that an animal that large would probably take his sweet time doing his business, Loki decided to get up and do a bit of snooping. Nothing like knowing a few intimate details about a potential foe.

The first thing that drew his attention was her drawing desk, a behemoth piece of furniture that took up most of the space in what should’ve been a breakfast nook. Surrounded by a bank of windows on two sides he could see why she decided to put her desk here. All the natural light streaming in would be impossible for an artist to resist. 

Speaking of art, he peered at the tilt top to see what she was working on. A begrudging grin sneaking across his lips as he took in a sketch of a unicorn, a rather interesting ink blotch adorning its rump, wearing a long suffering look on its face as its horn speared a swimming pool floatie it was trying to blow up. You could practically hear the animal sighing in resigned frustration. 

Anne still had that uncanny knack of capturing a moment with a few ink strokes, but her art was more refined now. As much as he hated to admit it, her talent had only grown over the years. From talented child artist to a full blown published author. He’d seen her books in several bookstores around Charleston, but had refused to give them more than a passing glance. Too much baggage and unwanted emotions to unpack if he gave them more than that. 

The rest of the desk was a cyclone of organized chaos made up of pencils and pens in coffee mugs and mason jars, dried leaves and flowers to use for vegetation references, ink pots, sketch pads and stacks of portfolios bursting at their seams. He was itching to rifle through those portfolios, but time was ticking away and his window to snoop was getting narrower.

Stepping away from the desk, he took in the room he was standing in. Her cottage was open concept with the kitchen, living room and dining areas bleeding into each other. He sneered. This whole house was so... _cozy_. Walnut hardwood floors strewn with jewel tone hand woven rugs. Overstuffed furniture in autumnal fabrics. Side table made from repurposed lumber. A kitchen with butcher block topped counters and rough cut pine cupboards. Prints of vintage fairytale illustrations hung on the creamy white walls along with family photos. Everything carefully curated to comfort, to calm, and provide the illusion of being a refuge against the harsh, cruel world waiting outside the walls. It unsettled him. He was a creature to whom homey comforts were a sign of softness In the empire he’d built, softness was a form of weakness and he couldn’t afford a single atom of weakness in his life. Not even in his private quarters. Still...such comfort undeniably called to him.

Venturing further into the kitchen, he noticed on the refrigerator an old picture of Anne, Jane and their other friend (Darby? Darla?) laughing while lounging in their college apartment, a place he’d been to only once and didn’t dare bring up the memories of the night he’d spent there. Best to forget that photo and see if he couldn’t do a little sneaking around in her bedroom. Winding back to the couch he reached out for his shirt when just as he was stretching out his arm, there was an abrupt tug at his belly button. As soon as he felt it, that’s how he found himself without warning in a shrub, branches jabbing him in the ass like they had a right to be there. So she had no right to glare at him like he’d been stalking her out of pure peevish boredom. No right at all.

“I was not following you! I have better things to do with my time than to scurry after you like some kind of besotted idiot and spy on you while you take your beast out for a shit! Namely getting revenge on that miserable asshole who calls himself my brother and figuring out how to get out of Hicksville, USA.” Loki caught the wince Anne gave as his voice grew louder and louder, but he didn’t give a damn if every house on the block called in the entire sheriff department on him. “So forgive me if I’m a little confused about how I wound up battling for my freedom from a bloodthirsty piece of landscaping!”

“Okay, okay,” she hissed. “But would you please keep your voice down? I’d rather not have the whole town call the cops on us. I really don’t want to face them again, especially not before I’ve had my coffee.”

Again? Saint Anne had had a run in with the local PD? Well, well, well this was a tale he had to unearth. A spark of glee cut through his anger, and a grin creased his face.

Anne’s eyes widened as she caught his grin. “Oh no. I recognize that grin. Don’t you dare do whatever mischievous thing just crawled into your head. I-I just don’t want to see a certain officer that’s all.”

“Oh really? What did you do to the poor man, Barbara Anne?” Gods, he took perverse pleasure in watching her jaw clench in throttled irritation. She was dying to scream at him, but was too concerned about being a good little citizen to give in. This morning was suddenly looking a bit rosier even if he did have to shove aside a twinge of absurd jealousy at her mention of another man... Maybe he didn’t need to leave quite so soon.

“Nothing!” She hissed. “I-I just don’t want to draw attention to us so early in the morning. Is that so wrong?”

Well-”

“I’m going home. You can either stand here, flexing and showing off your tattoos for the whole neighborhood or come back to my house.”

She made teasing her too easy. “Flexing? Why my heavens, are you ogling me, Barbara Anne? For shame!”

“AAARRRGGHH!!” 

He watched her stomp away, Monster Dog obediently lumbering alongside her. _“Yep,”_ a grin, the likes of which he hadn’t felt on his face in years, crept across his lips as he stepped into the street, wincing as loose gravel bit into his bare feet, and sauntered off behind her, _“Things were definitely looking up.”_

***

By the time they reached her back door, Anne was 99.9% certain she was literally breathing fire just like one of the dragons in her books. Why the hell had she rescued the smirking asshole on her heels again? Everytime she tried to ask a simple question or suggest he might want to consider a different point of view, he retorted with either a snarky remark or biting insult. Heaven forbid he even attempt to listen before replying. The worst part was every word out of his mouth was brutally calm. Even though she could see the rage seething behind his eyes, every line was delivered with glacial coolness. It made her sound like a squawking magpie who’d just gotten a rotten apple thrown at its head. It was only when he pretended to try to seduce her that he showed any kind of warmth. She was almost at the end of her rope with him. One more sarcastic comment, and Thor might not have to worry about some criminal kingpin murdering his brother. She would’ve already done the deed for him.

_“MOOF.”_

A petty smirk kicked up the corners of her mouth. But then sometimes a screen door slamming straight into a certain face was all it took to make a girl feel a bit better. “I’m going to shower. You better not follow me in there.”

Loki muttered something under his breath that sounded like “No promises” but she chose to ignore him. No sense in adding more fuel to the fire and giving him another excuse to bait her. Besides there was no way he really wanted to see her naked.

She took the world’s longest shower, trying to put off being in the same room as her guest for as long as possible, but she couldn’t stay in the shower forever. Pulling on her usual uniform of jeans and a baggy sweater, she wound her wet hair into a topknot. Normally she didn’t wear makeup if she was having a home day, but today she needed an extra bit of armor so applied mascara and a dusting of eyeshadow.

After cycling through an entire minute of cleansing breaths, she exited the bathroom. She supposed that she should make some breakfast for him. Not because she wanted to, but because Ellen Chambers would be horrified if her daughter didn’t offer a guest a decent meal, even if they were uninvited. Fortunately she had some eggs, bacon, and leftover baked potatoes in the fridge so she could easily whip up a skillet scramble for them. Rounding the corner into the main room, she stopped dead in her tracks. Phil (the ungrateful traitor) had himself draped across Loki’s lap, but her normally mellow Morty was in the hall entryway sitting as still as one of the lion dog stone guardians in front of The Forbidden City. He was practically glaring at the man on the couch. He glanced up at Anne and briefly wagged his tail in greeting, but immediately went back to staring at Loki. She stroked his head. At least _one_ of her pets was loyal. Morty was definitely getting extra treats today. 

Loki glanced up at her too, only his look was far from adoring. Lips once again twisted into a slight smirk and eyes hard as the ice on the shoreline of Penobscot Bay in the middle of January. “Would it bother you horribly if I took a shower, Barbara?” He raised an eyebrow at her clearly trying to egg her on.

She gritted her teeth. Couldn’t he just ask politely for once? She didn’t need “nice” or “friendly”. Just polite. That’s all she was asking for. Biting her tongue, she simply jerked her head towards the bathroom refusing to give him the satisfaction. She just turned her back to him and busied herself filling the electric kettle with water and pulling out the French press. Besides this way she could get a few minutes of PT in and start making breakfast without him breathing down her neck. Grabbing a bag of her favorite Tandem Roasters blend she nearly hugged it as she suddenly realized that her living room was going to turn into a war zone soon. Having both Odinson brothers in the same room after six years? It was going to be a bloodbath. 

_Coffee, old friend, I’m going to need all your magical caffeinated goodness to get me through this day._

***

Pellets of hot water pummeled his skin, grounding and distracting him for a split second, but not for long. His mind was still in utter turmoil over losing control of his physical self. That hadn’t happened in years. Not since the night he’d found himself in front of Anne’s old apartment. He was scared. More than scared, he was fucking terrified. If he wasn’t in control of his body, what would he lose next? His powers? His-his mind? Bracing his palms against the shower wall, he sucked in breath after shuddering breath willing away the icy knot of fear in his throat.

_No._

He would not allow that to happen. He would kill himself first.

He stood in the shower until the hot water ran out and turned glacial cold. Thanks to his true heritage, the cold didn’t bother him as quickly as it did others, so he stood under the icy spray trying to come up with a plan of what to do when Thor arrived. He hadn’t seen his so-called brother since the night Loki had shown him around his newly opened club and revealed the real reason he’d built his nightclub. He’d been so sure that his brother would’ve joined him in achieving that purpose, or at the very least supported him, but instead Thor had reacted in horror and tried to talk him out of his plans for vengeance. He still didn’t understand how Thor could’ve turned his back on him. Was he such a coward that he didn’t want justice for his family? His people?

The faint sizzle of food cooking filled his ears as soon as he turned off the water. He cocked his head in bemusement? Could it be? Was Anne actually cooking him breakfast? More than likely she’d made something for herself and intended for him to starve. “Ha! If she is making me breakfast, she’ll probably lace it with rat poison.” He snorted as he wiped steam off the vanity mirror. With the way he’d treated her so far he would’ve done the same if he’d been in her shoes. Not that she didn’t deserve the treatment, but he could understand it.

Pulling yesterday’s jeans back on, he strolled into the living room, taking a bit of twisted delight in the way Anne’s eyes widened at the sight of his bare chest from across the room and then darted back to the pan she was stirring on the stove. As he grabbed his balled up t-shirt from under the couch, he grinned at her suddenly bright pink ears, instantly recognizing one of the tell tale signs of her embarrassment. Deciding to not let the opportunity to pester her more pass by he strolled into the kitchen and leaned a hip against the island. Which just so happened to be right behind where she was standing at the stove. Aw...he could practically hear her molars being ground down to nubs as she steadfastly tried to ignore his presence looming over her shoulder. He, in turn, did his best to ignore the up close and personal view of her luscious ass. 

_No distractions, remember?_

“Whatcha doing?” Was that a snarl escaping from her mouth? Oh he was good.

“You know what I’m doing,” she hissed. “Why don’t you make yourself actually useful for once and hand me a couple plates out of the cupboard? I’m just about done with this.”

He gave her a bland smile but did as he was told. Best not push his luck. She was working with a cast iron skillet after all, and he wouldn’t put it past her to bash him in the head with it. Besides there still was a chance poison might be on the menu. Resuming his post he watched her assemble their plates. Silently she handed him his and sat down at the island. Surreptitiously he sniffed his food. It didn’t smell like bitter almonds so at least he knew there wasn’t any cyanide in it. He joined Anne at the island and sat on the other barstool, and found a cup of coffee at his place. He took a sip of the mellow yet complex beverage instantly recognizing the blend. Borr above, he’d missed Tandem’s roasts. Without a word she slid the sugar shaker towards him. She remembered that he only put a dash of sugar in his coffee and no cream.

He peered down at his plate realizing that it’d been years since he’d eaten a homemade meal. Most of the time he subsisted on coffee, protein shakes and scotch. Sure he wined and dined a power broker from time to time at the country’s most expensive restaurants, but haute cuisine was for showing off, not for filling the belly. 

“Oh for the love of- just eat the food, Loki. I swear I didn’t poison it if that’s what you're thinking.” 

“Darling, you know I have to consider it. A witch with as many enemies as I have can never be too careful,” he said as he popped a forkful of potatoes and eggs into his mouth. As he began chewing, flavors exploded on his tongue, and he nearly began to shake in reaction to the myriad flavors and sensations flooding his mouth. Holy shit. This-this was _amazing_. He stared at the food in front of him. Something this simple shouldn’t taste this extraordinary, but it did. “What-what’s in this?” He rasped. 

Anne gaped at him like he’d taken leave of his senses, which maybe he had. “It’s just my copycat version of The Big Sky Scramble from The Breakfast Nook. Remember that place? We used to go there all the time in high school. Basically it’s a bunch of breakfast ingredients layered together and topped with some homemade salsa mom and I made this…” she trailed off as she watched him shovel the food into his mouth. 

He knew he was making a spectacle of himself, but he couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. It was too good to stop. It was heaven. If there hadn’t been someone watching him, he would’ve tossed the silverware on the floor and began stuffing the food into his mouth with his hands. It was like he’d never eaten real food. He’d been eating dust and cardboard for so long and now the ambrosia of the gods was in his grasp. Ravenous. That was the only words he could to describe what he was feeling.

Smoky, chewy bacon, the crisp fat melting like butter in his mouth met sweet onions and peppers. Crunchy golden brown potatoes married with creamy eggs and avocados. Every texture and taste better than the last. Before he knew it, his plate was empty. He stared down at it longingly. Would Anne notice if he licked it clean? He risked a sideways glance at her. Anne’s bewildered gaze met his, and all he could do was sheepishly shrug, “I guess I was hungry?” 

“Uh huh. Here. Have the rest of mine if you want-” He didn’t even let her finish the sentence before he snatched the plate out of her hands. Warmth flooded his entire system as he finished the second plate and for a brief moment, he was content. Why? A basic breakfast from a normal human shouldn’t make him feel these emotions. It just wasn’t possible! There had to be some kind of sorcery involved. 

“Why are you glaring at me again?” She rolled her eyes. “All I did was feed you. I didn’t steal your teddy bear.”

“What did you put in that dish? What other magic are you and Thor up to?”

“Nothing! You saw me eat the same exact food! Lord almighty, Loki, stop being so suspicious!”

“Remember what I just said? Being suspicious is what’s kept me alive. By never trusting anything at face value is why I’ve survived in my world, Barbara.”

Anne drew in a harsh breath, but instead of firing back a retort, she grabbed their plates and marched to the kitchen sink and began scrubbing the dishes so hard, he feared for their enamel finish. He gathered up the utensils and coffee mugs and deposited them in the soapy water then began silently drying them as soon as she finished washing them. He might be the worst sort of asshole, but he’d still been raised by Frigga. And a guest always helped with the washing up. He was just drying off the last fork when there was a knock at the front door at the same time the tiny lightning bolt tattoo on his left wrist turned a fiery blue. Their eyes met. Thor was here. 

Let the battle royale begin.


End file.
